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LIBRARY 


the  Class  of  1901 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 


BOOKS  BY  THOMAS  DIXON 
A  Man  of  the  People 

(A  play) 

The  Way  of  a  Man 

The  Fall  of  a  Nation 

The  Foolish  Virgin 

The  Victim 

The  Southerner 

The  Sins  of  the  Father 

The  Leopard's  Spots 

The  Clansman 
(The  Birth  of  a  Nation) 

The  Traitor 
The  One  Woman 

Comrades 

The  Root  of  Evil 

The  Life  Worth  Living 

These  Are  Appleton  Books 

D.    APPLETON    &    COMPANY 

Publishers  New  York 


176D 


A     MAN 
OF    THE    PEOPLE 

A  DRAMA  OF  ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 

BY 

THOMAS  DIXON 

AUTHOR  OP  "THE  BIRTH  op  A  NATION,"  "THE  CLANSMAN  " 
"THE  LEOPARD'S  SPOTS,"  ETC 


D.  APPLETON  AND  COMPANY 

NEW  YORK  LONDON 

MCMXX 


COPYRIGHT,  I92O,  BY 

THOMAS  DIXON 


PRINTED  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OP  AMERICA 


?73.7U3  W_ 


<t 

TO 

\VILLIAM  HARRIS,  JR. 

WHOSE   COURAGE   AND   HIGH   IDEALS   AS  A 

PRODUCER   GAVE   TO   THE    AMERICAN 

STAGE  THE  EPOCH-MAKING  PLAY 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN 


HISTORICAL  NOTE 

While  the  popular  conception  of  Lincoln  as  the  Libera- 
tor of  the  Slave  is  true  historically,  there  is  a  deeper  view 
of  his  life  and  character.  He  was  the  savior,  if  not  the 
real  creator,  of  the  American  Union  of  free  Democratic 
States.  His  proclamation  of  emancipation  was  purely  an 
incident  of  war.  The  first  policy  of  his  administration 
was  to  save  the  Union.  To  this  fact  we  owe  a  united 
Nation  to-day.  It  is  this  truth  of  history  which  I  try  to 
make  a  living  reality  in  my  play. 

The  scenes  relating  to  the  issues  of  our  National  life 
have  been  drawn  from  authentic  records.  The  plot  of 
the  action  is  based  on  the  letter  of  Colonel  John  Nicolay 
to  Major  Hay,  dated  August  25,  1864,  in  which  the  fol- 
lowing opening  paragraph  is  found : 

"Hell  is  to  pay.  The  New  York  politicians  have 
got  a  stampede  on  that  is  about  to  swamp  every- 
thing. Raymond  and  the  National  Committee 
are  here  to-day.  R.  thinks  a  Commission  to 
Richmond  is  about  the  only  salt  to  save  us ;  while 
the  President  sees  and  says  it  would  be  utter 
ruination.  The  matter  is  now  undergoing  con- 
sultation. Weak-kneed  damned  fools  are  in  the 
movement  for  a  new  candidate  to  supplant  the 
President.  Everything  is  darkness,  doubt,  and 
discouragement." 

No  liberty  has  been  taken  with  an  essential  detail  of 
history  in  the  development  of  the  action  except  to  slightly 
shift  the  dates  of  two  incidents  for  dramatic  unity.  In 
neither  case  does  the  change  of  date  affect  the  validity  of 
the  scene  as  used. 

THOMAS  DIXON 


DIVISION  INTO  ACTS 

PROLOGUE:  The  Lincoln  cabin  in  the  woods  of  Indiana, 
1820. 

ACT  I :  In  the  President's  room,  the  morning  of  August 
23,  1864. 

ACT  II :    The  same,  that  evening. 

ACT  III:     Scene  I.     Jefferson  Davis'  room  three  days 
later,  in  Richmond.     Morning. 
Scene  2.    Same  as  Acts  I  and  II. 

EPILOGUE — VICTORY.  The  Platform  of  the  second  Inau- 
guration, March  4,  1865,  before  the  Capitol  at 
Washington. 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

PROLOGUE 


PERSONS  OF  THE  PROLOGUE 

ABE A  Boy  of  Ten. 

SARAH His  Sister. 

TOM  LINCOLN His  Father. 

NANCY His  Mother. 

THE  DOCTOR An  Old-fashioned  Pioneer. 


fxiii] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

PROLOGUE 

SET  SCENE  :  The  rough-hewn  log  cabin  of  Tom  Lincoln 
is  seen  in  the  center  surrounded  by  the  forest  wilder- 
ness of  Southern  Indiana,  1820. 

The  cabin  door  is  cut  in  level  with  the  ground.  There 
is  no  shutter  to  the  door  and  no  window  to  the  cabin. 

Right  and  Left  of  the  door  opening  are  rude  benches 
of  splat  logs.  On  the  walls  are  stretched  a  coon  and 
a  small  bear,  squirrel  and  muskrat  skins.  In  the 
foreground  on  the  right  is  seen  an  old-fashioned 
wash  pot  set  on  three  stones.  Near  the  wash  pot  is 
fixed  in  the  ground  a  pole,  on  the  top  of  which  are 
hung  six  gourds  cut  for  martin  swallows  to  nest  in. 
Beside  it  are  a  rude  bench  and  two  wash  tubs.  On 
the  left  is  a  crude  settee  made  of  a  split  log  with 
legs  set  in  augur  holes  and  a  rough  back  made  of 
saplings.  An  old-fashioned  doctor's  saddle-bags 
hang  across  the  back  of  the  settee.  The  trees  are 
walnut,  beech  and  oak — undergrowth  of  dogwood, 
sumac  and  wild  grapevines.  These  vines,  festooned 
over  the  cabin,  give  a  sinister  impression.  A  creek 
winds  down  through  the  hills  behind  the  cabin. 
[i] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

AT  RISE:  SARAH  is  seen  softly  tiptoeing  toward  the 
cabin  door.  She  pauses,  listens  and  slowly  peeps  in- 
side. She  listens  again  and  tlien  slips  away  and 
calls. 

SARAH 
Abe !  Abe ! 

[SARAH  goes  back  to  the  door  and  peeps  in  and  runs 
to  the  gate.] 

Abe !    Ma's  awake  now ! 

[She  returns  to  the  door,  peep.1:  in  again  and  runs 
once  more  to  the  gate.] 

Abe !     He's  feelin'  her  pulse!       ome  on  in — don't 

stay  out  there  in  the  woods  .  .  .  ^ 
[ABE  enters  slowly.] 

ABE 
What  does  he  say? 

SARAH 
He  ain't  said  nothin'  yet. 

ABE 

He's  a  dumb  doctor,  anyhow.  I  couldn't  get  him  to  say 
a  word  comin',  last  night. 

SARAH 

Well,  he's  here  now,  and  there's  his  saddle-bags  full  of 
medicine.  You've  been  ridin'  all  night — you  look 
terrible  tired !  Go  to  bed  and  sleep  a  little 

ABE 
I    can't — while    Ma's    so    sick — I'm    afraid    to    go    to 

sleep 

SARAH 

Why ? 

ABE 

You  know  why — Sarah- 


[2] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

SARAH 

Ah,  she  ain't  goin'  to  die  now.    She's  talkin'  to  the  doctor 
— lie  down  just  a  little  while  and  get  to  sleep  before 

the  sun  comes  up  or  ye  can't  sleep 

[Pleading.] 

—come  on 

ABE 

No — I'm  scared — the  plague's  killin'  folks  every  day — 
and  nobody  knows  what  to  do  for  'em 

V     (, 

[The  DOCTC  nd  TOM  enter  from  the  cabin  and 
come  dou.j  slowly — the  DOCTOR  seems  to  be  de- 
bating his  course  of  action.] 

ABE 

[Eagerly  to  DOCTOR.] 
You  can  do  somethin'  for  her,  Doctor? 

DOCTOR 
[Hesitates.] 
Yes— Get  me  a  clean  towel  and  a  bowl 

ABE 
Run,  SARAH — quick 

SARAH 

[Running  to  cabin.] 
Yes— I'll  get  'em 

[The  D'OCTOR  opens  his  saddle-bags,  takes  out  his 
lancet  and  examines  its  keen  point.] 

TOM 

What  are  ye  goin'  ter  do  with  that  knife  ? 

[31 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

DOCTOR 

Bleed  her,  of  course — it's  the  only  thing  to  do 

[Starts  toward  cabin.] 

ABE 

[To  his  father.] 
Don't  let  him  do  it ! 

DOCTOR 
What's  that? 

TOM 

You  shan't  bleed  her — I  don't  know  nothin'  'bout  doc- 
torin' — but  I  know  that'll  kill  her 

DOCTOR 

I've  a  notion  to  give  you  the  worst  cussin'  you  ever  had 
in  your  life,  Tom  Lincoln  .  .  . 

TOM 
'Twouldn't  do  no  good — Doctor 


DOCTOR 

[Throwing  his  arms  up.] 

'Twould  do  me  good!  I've  rode  all  night — thirty-five 
miles — from  my  home  in  Kentucky  across  the  Ohio, 
into  this  wilderness,  just  for  you  to  insult  me 

TOM 

I  didn't  mean  to 

DOCTOR 

Well,  you're  doin'  it — and  I'd  give  ye  the  cussin'  that'ud 
pay  me  for  my  trouble  comin'  up  here — if  I  hadn't 
heard  what  you've  been  doin'  for  your  neighbors,  in 

this  plague.     There's  no  doctor  in  thirty  miles 

You've   been   the   doctor   and   nurse — mother   and 
[4] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

father  to  'em  all.  And  when  they  die,  you  go  into 
the  woods,  cut  down  a  tree,  rip  out  the  boards,  make 
the  coffin,  dig  the  grave  and  lower  the  dead  with  a 
prayer — I'd  like  to  cuss  you,  Tom  Lincoln — but  I 
can't — damn  ye ! 

TOM 
I'm   sorry,   Doctor — but   I    just   couldn't   let   ye   bleed 

her 

DOCTOR 

All  right — good-by 

[With  a  snort  of  anger,  the  DOCTOR  throws  his 
lancet  into  his  saddle-bags,  snaps  them  together, 
and  starts  for  the  gate.] 

ABE 

[Following  the  DOCTOR  to  gate.'} 

Doctor ! 

DOCTOR 

What  do  ye  want ? 

ABE 

[Seising  his  hand.~\ 
Please  don't  go — I'm  mighty  sorry  we  made  ye  mad — 

I  didn't  go  to  do  it — you  see 

[He  falters.'] 
I  love  my  Ma  so,  I  just  couldn't  see  ye  cut  her  arm  open. 

And  Pa  didn't  mean  to  hurt  yer  feelin's — won't  ye 

stay  and  help  us?    Can't  ye  do  somethin'  else  for 

her ? 

[Pauses.] 
I'll  pay  ye !    I'll  work  for  ye  a  whole — year 

DOCTOR 
You'd  work  for  me  a  year? 

[51 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

ABE 

[Eagerly.} 

I'll  work  for  ye  five  years  if  you'll  just  save  her — just 
save  her  life — that's  all — don't  go — please,  don't 

DOCTOR 
[The  DOCTOR  slips  his  arm  around  the  boy,  draws 

him  close  and  holds  him  a  moment.~\ 
You're  a  good  boy,  Abe 

ABE 

You'll  stay ? 

DOCTOR 

I'd  stay  and  do  something  if  I  could,  Sonny,  but  to  tell 
ye  the  truth,  I  don't  know  what  to  do — I'm  not  quite 
sure  I'm  right  about  the  bleedin',  or  I'd  stay  and 

make  you  both  help  me 

[He  pauses."] 

But  I'm  not  sure !     I'm  not  sure!     And  I  don't 

know  what  else  to  do — I've  got  no  medicine — so  I 
can't  stay.  All  I  can  tell  ye  is  to  keep  her  warm — 
and  give  her  everything  good  to  eat  that  she  can 
take — she's  in  God's  hands — Good-by 

[The  DOCTOR  hurries  through  the  gate — and  leaves 
ABE  and  TOM  gazmg  -forlornly  after  him,  as 
SARAH  comes  -from  the  house.] 

SARAH 

I've  got  the  towel  and  bowl  all  ready 

[Pauses.] 

What's  the  matter ? 

[Looks  around.] 

Where's   the  doctor ? 

[6] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

ABE 

He's  gone 

SARAH 

Gone ? 

TOM 

Yes 

[NANCY  enters  by  door  of  cabin."] 
[NANCY'S  sudden  appearance  in  the  door  swings 
ABE  around  with  a  quick  cry  of  pain.  The  sun  is 
tinging  the  eastern  sky  with  the  splendor  of  an 
Indian  Summer  morning.  The  mother's  figure 
in  blue  homespun  suggests  against  the  dark  back- 
ground of  the  cabin  door  the  coming  of  a  spirit 
from  the  unseen  world.  She  pauses  a  moment  in 
the  doorway  and  smiles  at  her  son.] 

ABE 

Oh,  Ma,  you  mustn't 

TOM 
[Following.] 

Nancy ! 

NANCY 
I'm  better,  I'm  a  lot  better 

ABE 
You're  too  sick  to  come  out  here,  Ma 

NANCY 
[Smiling.] 

I  can  walk — as  well  as  you  can, — see 

[She  sways  slightly  toward  the  settee.] 

ABE 

But  the  Doctor  says  you  must  keep  warm 

[7] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NANCY 

Well — I  have  on  the  warm  stockings  that  Sarah  knit  for 
me  and  the  coon  skin  moccasins  you  made — don't 
you  see,  I'm  better  now ? 

ABE 

[Joyfully.] 
Look,  Pa,  she's  better ! 

SARAH 
Yes — she's  better! 

TOM 

[Alarmed.'] 
Don't  try  to  walk — set  down,  honey! 

NANCY 
[Sinking  on  bench.] 

Yes— I  will 

[The   boy   comes   closer,   staring   eagerly  into   his 
mother's  face.] 

NANCY 

Come  closer,  my  boy 

[ABE  kneels  at  her  feet.] 

TOM 

I'm  a  feared  of  this,  Nancy — you  better  let  me  git  a  hot 
rock  and  wrap  it  up  for  your  feet. 

NANCY 

Yes,  Tom — and  bring  me  the  Bible.     I  want  Abe  to 
read  to  me. 
[ToM  goes  into  the  cabin  worried  over  her.] 

ABE 
Feel  all  right,  Ma ? 

[8] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NANCY 

[She  nods  and  breathes  deeply — her  eyes  alight.'} 
I  wanted  to  see  the  sun  rise  through  the  trees!  You 
remember  the  day  you  cut  down  your  first  tree  to 
begin  the  clearing  and  the  sunlight  came  through 
the  hole  you'd  made  to  the  sky 

ABE 
Yes — I  remember. 

NANCY 
You  called  me  to  come  and  see  it 

ABE 

[In  a  whisper.'] 

Yes 

NANCY 
I  was  proud  that  morning  as  I  saw  you  stand  with  your 

ax  on  that  big  log — anything  my  boy  starts  to  do — 

he  does 

[Pauses.'] 
Your  father  taught  you  to  use  the  ax  and 

[Turns  and  looks  at  ABE.] 
Your  father's  a  good  man,  my  son — kind-hearted  and 

true  and  everybody  likes  him.    They  made  him  road 

supervisor  of  his  township  in  Kentucky  once.     If 

he  could  read  and  write  he  would  have  gone  to  the 

legislature 

[ToM    enters  from  the   cabin  with  the  rock  and 

Bible,  he  crosses  to  NANCY,  and  ABE  takes  the 

rock  and  puts  it  under  her  feet — SARAH  kneels 

and   helps   him.      NANCY'S   hand   drops    on   the 

[9] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

bench.    TOM  picks  up  her  hand,  and  the  chill  of 
it  worries  him.'] 
[ABE  and  SARAH  rise,'} 

NANCY 
Read  to  me,  son — I  like  to  hear  your  voice 

ABE 
[Brightly. "\ 

All  right — what — —  ? 

NANCY 
The  Twenty-third  Psalm. 

[ABE  looks  for  the  place.] 
I  love  to  hear  you  read,  my  boy.    It  means  that  you  can 

do  what  any  other  man  can — it  means  so  much ! 

ABE 
[Reads.] 

The  Lord  is  my  shepherd — I  shall  not  want.  He  maketh 
me  to  lie  down  in  green  pastures.  He  leadeth  me 
beside  still  waters.  He  restoreth  my  soul.  He 
leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  righteousness  for  his 

name's  sake 

NANCY 
[In  a  whisper] 

Yea,  tho'  I  walk  through  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 

death,  I  will  fear  no  evil,  for  thou  art  with  me 

[ABE  stops,  looks  up  at  his  mother  in  amazement.] 

ABE 

Ma 

NANCY 

Remember  always,  my  boy,  that  God  is  with  you!  He 
is  in  the  day  and  the  night.     He  is  in  the  sun  and 
[10] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

the  wind,  the  trees  and  the  grass— and  not  a  sparrow 
falls  to  the  ground  without  He  knows.  You  recol- 
lect the  year  you  put  up  those  gourds  there 

[She  points  to  the  pole.] 

for  your  martins ?    You  cried  when  they  circled 

away  in  the  fall 

[ABE  nods.] 

I  told  you  God  would  send  them  back  in  the  spring, 

didn't  I ? 

[She  laughs  softly.'] 

You  said  that  He'd  forget  to  tell  them  and  they'd  never 
find  the  way — but  they  came — didn't  they ? 

ABE 
Yes,  Ma,  and  I  know  now  they'll  come  again  next  spring. 

NANCY 

So — I  want  you  never  again  to  doubt  God,  my  boy, 
and  I  want  you  never  to  doubt  yourself.  Your  bare 
feet,  your  ragged  clothes,  how  poor  you  are — this  is 
nothing!  It  doesn't  count  here — it's  what  you  feel, 
it's  what  you  believe — it's  what  you  see  that  counts ! 
I've  taught  you  to  read  and  write,  and  now  you  can 

do  anything!    If  God  takes  me 

[She  pauses  exhausted.] 

ABE 
But  you  mustn't  say  that,  Ma ! 

NANCY 

"The  judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  al- 
together !" 


ABE 
No!  no,  Ma!    Don't  talk  that  way!    You'll  give  up  if 

you  do ! 

NANCY 

If  He  calls,  my  son,  then  my  work  is  done — and  you  can 
do  all  I've  tried  and  failed  to  do 

ABE 
[Alarmed. ~\ 

Had  she  better  talk  so  much,  Pa 

[Stoops  to  fix1  her  feet.] 

TOM 
[Feeling  her  hand.] 

Nancy ! 

NANCY 

Just  a  minute  more,   Tom !     Don't  let  him  know 

yet — you  know ! 

TOM 
[With  upward  look  of  faith.] 

Yes,  I  know 

[To  ABE.] 

It's  all  right — boy 

NANCY 

Come  back  close,  my  son,  I  want  to  tell  you  something 
I  saw  last  night!  I  had  a  dream — the  same  one  I 
had  the  night  before  you  were  born.  You  had 
grown  a  man — strong  and  brave — wise  and  gentle. 
The  people  hung  on  your  words,  and  did  you 
homage.  But  you  remembered  this  cabin  here  in 
the  deep  woods  and  you  were  humble.  I  walked 
with  you  between  two  white  pillars.  It  was  still 

[12] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

and  solemn,  in  there.  Outside  I  could  hear  the  peo- 
ple calling  your  name.  You  bowed  low  and  whis- 
pered in  my  ear:  "This  is  all  yours,  my  Mother. 
I  bought  it  for  you  with  my  life.  All  that  I  am 

I   owe  to  you " 

[Her  voice  sinks  to  a  whisper  that  is  half  a  laugh 
of  religious  ecstasy.] 

ABE 

[Joyfully.] 
See  how  she's  smilin' — Pa!.    She's  getting  well — I  tell 

you ! 

TOM 

[Whispering.'} 
Don't  ye  understand,  boy ? 

ABE 

No — what ? 

SARAH 

What — what  is  it ? 

TOM 
[In  deep  religious  awe.'} 

Look — look  at  her   eyes !     She's  not  telling  ye   a 

dream — she's      looking     through     the     gates     of 

Heaven 

ABE 

No — no — no ! 

TOM 

It's  death — boy — it's  come — Lord,  God,  have  mercy 

[ABE  springs  to  his  feet  and  stares  in  anguish,  as 
TOM  falls  on  his  knees  beside  NANCY.    NANCY'S 
hand  rests  gently  on  TOM'S  shaggy  head,  while 
[13] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

he  sobs.    With  her  other  hand  she  feels  for  ABE'S 
and  holds  it  feebly.] 

NANCY 

Be  good  to  your  Father, 

[She  pauses  and  breathes  with  difficulty.'] 
In  the  days  to  come,  he  will  be  the  child  and  you  the 

man 

ABE 
Yes— 

NANCY 

And  love  your  sister , 

[ABE  nods.] 

If  dark  hours  come,  my  spirit  will  be  watching,  my  son — 
and  I'll  help  you  if  I  can 

ABE 
Yes,  I  know  iti 

NANCY 
And  remember  that  you  can  be  a  great  man  in  this  free 

country  if  you  only  say — I  will 

[NANCY'S  body  sinks  in  death  as  the  boy  lifts  his 
face  illumined  by  the  light  of  a  great  purpose.] 

ABE 
Yes,  Ma,— I  will! 


CURTAIN 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 


PERSONS  OF  THE  PLAY 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN    ......  The  President. 

MRS.  LINCOLN   His  Wife. 

COLONEL  NICOLAY His  Secretary. 

EDWARD   The  Doorman. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON    Secretary  of  War. 

GEN.  GEO.  B.  MCCLELLAN  .  Lincoln's  Rival. 

CAPTAIN  VAUGHAN Of  the  U.  S.  Army. 

BETTY  WINTER   His  Sweetheart. 

THADDEUS   STEVENS    Leader  of  Congress. 

HENRY  RAYMOND  Editor  of  the  New  York 

Times. 

JOHN  R.  GILMORE Of  the  New  York  Tribune. 

COLONEL  JACQUESS A  Methodist  Clergyman. 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS President  of  the  Confeder- 
acy. 

JUDAH  P.  BENJAMIN   His  Secretary  of  State. 

JUDGE  ROBERT  OULD Commissioner  of  Exchange. 

ROBERT  E.  LEE Commanding  General. 

A  SISTER Who  begs  for  her  brother's 

life. 

A  CONGRESSMAN   Who  demands  a  hearing. 

A  LITTLE  GIRL From  Virginia. 

A  MOTHER   With  a  baby. 

A  WOMAN Who  has  lost  two  sons. 

A  TELEGRAPH  OPERATOR  . .  In  the  White  House. 

A  DOORMAN At  Richmond. 

COMMITTEEMEN,    SOLDIERS    AND    GUARDS. 

[16] 


ACT  I 

SET  SCENE  :  The  President's  room  in  the  White  House, 
August  23,  1864.  A  Hat  desk  left  center.  At  right 
a  long  table  and  chairs.  Doors  open  right  and  left. 
Large  -windows  open  center.  Beside  the  center 
window  stands  an  upright  desk.  In  one  corner  a 
rack  with  map  rollers  and  folios  of  maps  on  the 
floor  and  leaning  against  the  wall. 

AT  RISE:  Colonel  Nicolay,  the  Presidents  Secretary, 
is  seen  writing  before  an  enormous  pile  of  mail. 
He  reads  a  letter  and  throws  it  down  in  disgust. 
Reads  another  and  hurls  it  into  the  waste  basket. 
He  rises — turns  back  to  the  desk  and  hurls  an  arm- 
ful of  the  letters  into  the  corner  on  the  floor  and  re- 
moves enough  letters  to  clear  a  space  for  his  Chief 
to  write. 
[EDWARD  enters  dragging  a  mail  bag.] 

NICOLAY 

[Calling  to  the  Doorman."] 
Edward ! 

EDWARD 
Yes,  sir 

NICOLAY 
Hold  that  door  tight  this  morning 

EDWARD 

Tight  as  a  drum,  sir 

[17] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

If  any  men  of  importance  try  to  crowd  in  before  their 

time 

EDWARD 

I'll  look  out  for  them,  sir — here's  another  bag  of  let- 
ters, Colonel  Nicolay 

NICOLAY 
Another ? 

EDWARD 
And  there's  two  more  outside • 

NICOLAY 
My  God ! 

EDWARD 
Don't  blame  me,  sir — I  didn't  write  'em 


NICOLAY 
No,  I'll  vouch  for  your  loyalty  to  the  President. 

EDWARD 
Where'll  I  put  these ? 

NICOLAY 
Throw  the  bag  in  the  corner — there's  no  room  on  his 

desk  now 

EDWARD 
[Obeying.] 

Yes,  sir 

[Edward  throws  the  bag  in  the  corner  of  the  room 
where  NICOLAY  has  already  piled  the  letters  from 
the  desk,   and  turns  to  NICOLAY.     He  watches 
NICOLAY  destroying  letters  for  a  moment.'] 
[18] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

Well,  Edward—? 

EDWARD 
Will  you  tell  me  one  thing,  Colonel  Nicolay ? 

NICOLAY 

If  I  can 

EDWARD 

What  do  they  say  in  th°se  letters  to  the  President ? 

I've  served  through  four  administrations — I've  never 
seen  such  piles  of  letters  in  the  White  House  be- 
fore  

NICOLAY 

Well,  Edward — these  letters  ask  two  things  of  Abraham 
Lincoln :  That  he  dismiss  General  Grant  from  com- 
mand of  the  Army 

EDWARD 

The  idiots 

NICOLAY 

And  stop  the  war  to-day — August  23,  1864, — make  peace 
— peace  at  any  price — to-day 

EDWARD 

God  save  us !  After  nearly  four  years — quit,  with  noth- 
ing settled ? 

NICOLAY 
That's  what  these  letters  demand 


EDWARD 

You  couldn't  believe  it No  wonder  his  eyes  sink  back 

in  his  head,  an'    he   looks    as    if    he   were    seeing 

ghosts 

[Pauses  and  starts.} 

[19] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

Watch  out  for  that  door,  Edward 


[EDWARD  bows,  and  exits  to  door  leading  to  the 
main  corridor.  NICOLAY  returns  to  his  task  of 
reading  the  letters — one  he  tosses  into  the  basket 
wearily — one  he  crumples  in  anger  and  hurls  into 
the  basket.] 

NICOLAY 

The  fools ! 

[He  is  absorbed  in  a  letter  when  MRS.  LINCOLN 
enters  in  a  state  of  nervous  excitement.    He  rises 
quickly,  and  goes  to  meet  her.~\ 
What  is  it,  Mrs.  Lincoln ? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

I  have  just  heard  that  the  Republican  National  Commit- 
tee is  in  Washington ! 

NICOLAY 

They  are 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
In  conference  at  Senator  Winter's  house ? 


NICOLAY 

Yes 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
What  do  they  want? 

NICOLAY 
There  are  ugly  rumors 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

What ?    What ?    What ? 

[20] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

I  can't  discuss  it,  Madam,  until  the  Chief  knows 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Mr.  Lincoln,  doesn't  know 

NICOLAY 

Not  yet.  He  will,  this  morning.  They've  just  sent  a 
demand  to  me  that  he  see  them  before  his  public 
reception  begins 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

You've  heard  something — you  know  something — tell  me 
— I  can't  endure  the  suspense 

NICOLAY 

Only  rumors — and  they're  too  ugly  to  put  into  words — 
they're  incredible 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

All  the  same,  you  believe  them 

[Impetuously.'] 
What  have  you  heard ? 

NICOLAY 

[Shakes  his  head.~\ 

The  Chief  wouldn't  like  it  if  I  talk,  before  he  knows. 
Ill  tell  you  a  few  things  I'm  thinking  in  plain 
English — if  you'd  like  to  hear 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
You  can't  make  it  too  plain  to  suit  me 

NICOLAY 

In  my  opinion,  the  devil  is  to  pay.  Weak-kneed  fools 
are  deserting  the  Chief.  Every  man  who  loves 

[21] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

Abraham  Lincoln  must  get  off  his  coat  now  and 
fight.  He  is  the  only  man  who  can  save  this  Na- 
tion to-day,  and  he's  too  big  and  generous  to  be 
trusted  alone  with  wolves 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

What  can  you  mean ?     The  Republican   National 

Committee  have  no  power  over  the  President  of  the 
United  "States 

NlCOLAY 

No,  Madam But  they  have  certain  powers  over  the 

Nominee  of  their  party 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

But  Mr.  Lincoln  is  already  the  nominee  of  his  party  for 
the  second  term  .  .  .  chosen  two  months  ago — and 
the  election  is  but  eight  weeks  off — what  do  you 

mean ? 

[EDWARD  enters."] 

EDWARD 
Miss  Betty  Winter  to  see  you,  Ma'am 


MRS.  LINCOLN 
How   fortunate — they're   at   her   father's   house 

NlCOLAY 

Yes 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Show  her  right  in  here,  Edward 

EDWARD 
Yes,  Madam 

[22] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[To  NICOLAY.] 
And  she's  loyal  to  Mr.  Lincoln — 

EDWARD 
[At  door  left.'] 

Right  this  way, — Miss  Betty 

[BETTY   enters — a   young  woman   25   years   old — 
poised ,  cultured,  chwming.'] 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Meeting  Betty.'] 

Welcome — my  child 

BETTY 
You're  always  so  kind ! 

NICOLAY 
Excuse  me,  ladies — while  I  go  out  and  get  rid  of  some 

of  these  people  waiting  to  see  the  President 

[ NICOLAY  exits.] 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Tell  me,  dear,  you've  heard  something — the  Republican 
National  Committee  are  at  your  father's 

BETTY 
They    were    there — they've    adjourned     to    Thaddeus 

Stevens'  house  across  the  street  from  us They 

were  locked  in  with  father  for  two  hours 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Locked  in ? 

BETTY 
[Nods.] 

With  the  keyhole  chinked  up ! 

[23] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
And  you  didn't  get  a  hint  of  what  they're  up  to ? 

BETTY 
Not  the  faintest 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Oh,  Betty — they're  discussing  me 

BETTY 
They  didn't  mention  your  name 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
How  do  you  know ? 

BETTY 

Well — I  did  hear  a  little !     I  could  hear  from  the 

next  room  when  they  got  excited!     It's  Abraham 
Lincoln  they're  discussing — not  his  wife 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

You're  sure ? 

BETTY 

Sure !     It  sounded  like  a  regular  dog  fight — with 

one  big  brute  howling 

[Imitates. ] 


— the  President's  name  above  the  din 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
But,  you  can't  be  sure,  my  dear 

BETTY 
What  on  earth  could  they  be  discussing  you  for ? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

My  loyalty,  of  course — you  know  that  my  brothers  are 
in  the  Southern  Army,  fighting  the  Union.     Fools 
[24] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

have  accused  me  of  giving  them  important  secrets 
of  the  Government.  When  I  hate  them  for  all  they- 
have  done  to  me  and  mine ! 

BETTY 

But  my  dear  Mrs.  Lincoln — no  one  believes  such  lies 
about  you  now — not  even  in  this  bitter  campaign 
— it's  absurd 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Hesitates.] 

That  is  not  the  real  thing  I'm  afraid  of,  child — it's  some- 
thing worse — I'm  going  to  take  you  into  my  confi- 
dence now — may  I? 

BETTY 
I'll  be  tickled  to  death  with  the  honor ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
And  I'm  going  to  ask  you  to  help  me 

BETTY 
I'll  be  in  the  Cabinet  next ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

The  truth  is,  I  owe  A.  T.  Stewart  and  Company  an 
enormous  bill  for  dresses — $60,000 

BETTY 
Sixty    thousand — oh,    my    Lord!      That's    worse    than 

mine ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

I  had  to  get  them!     The  world  said  the  White  House 
would    be    disgraced    by    my    awkward    husband's 
regime — I've    shown    them    better!      But    I    just 
[25] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

couldn't  tell  Mr.  Lincoln.  He  has  no  idea  of  the 
cost  of  clothes.  If  these  jackals  have  found  out 
and  attack  him  on  my  account,  the  thought  of  it 

will  kill  me 

BETTY 

But  you  know  he'd  defend  you  against  any  one  who 
dares  attack  you. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Yes,  dear — but  it  would  hurt  him  so  to  hear  it  from  their 
brutal  lips.  I  want  you  to  find  out  from  your 
father,  if  they  know 

BETTY 
And  if  they  know ? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Get  here  before  they  do,  and  I'll  head  them  off — I'll  tell 
Mr.  Lincoln  first 

BETTY 
[Smiling.'] 
On  one  condition — that  you  help  me ". 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Anything  you  ask 

BETTY 

I've  promised  my  fiance  that  I  would  get  an  appointment 
for  him  to  see  the  President  on  something  very  im- 
portant  

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Mr.  Lincoln  will  be  here  in  a  few  minutes.     I'll  have 

him  see  your  sweetheart  first 

[26] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

BETTY 
But — it's  a  personal  matter  and  he  doesn't  wish  to  come 

to  a  public  reception.    He  wants  an  hour  alone 

Could  you  get  it  for  him,  to-night  ? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

I — think — so 

BETTY 

You'll  try ? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

I'll  do  it,  child — certainly!  You're  one  loyal  friend  we 
have  in  that  crowd  of  wolves  on  the  Capitol  Hill 

BETTY 

All  right,  I'll  find  out  if  they're  discussing  politics  or 
your  dressmaker's  bill. 

[BETTY   hurries   to   the   door,   followed   by   MRS. 
LINCOLN.] 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

God  bless  you,  child 

[NICOLAY  enters  by  the  other  door.] 
' — Hurry ! 

BETTY 

If  it's  dresses — I'll  beat  them  to  the  White  House! 
[BETTY  exits.] 

NICOLAY 
The  President  is  coming,  Madam 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

I'm  going.  But  I  may  want  to  see  him  before  that 
Committee — in  case  I  send  in — see  that  he  comes, 
will  you? 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

I'll  try  to  manage  it.    The  friends  of  the  Chief  may  call 
on  you  for  some  inside  work,  Madam. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Eagerly.'] 
I'll  do  my  part,  never  fear! 

[MRS.  LINCOLN  exits  and  NICOLAY  hastily  arranges 
his  desk  and  stands  at  attention  as  LINCOLN  en- 
ters.'] 

[LINCOLN  crosses  the  room  with  long  nervous  stride, 
reaches  his  desk,  looks  at  the  pile  of  letters  and 
shakes  his  head  wearily. ,] 

LINCOLN 
Sorry   for  you,   John,  with   all  these  letters   on  your 

hands 

[Laughs. ,] 
You  have  to  work ! 

NICOLAY 
I'm  trying  to  get  them  out  of  your  way,  sir 

LINCOLN 
Thank  you — you  know  the  ones  I  want  to  see 

NICOLAY 

JL  CS?    Sir""""™ "" ~~ 

LINCOLN 
[Softly.] 

And  don't  forget  that  no  man  or  woman  can  be  turned 
from  that  door,  who  comes  here  to  ask  for  the 

saving  of  a  human  life 

[Pauses.'] 

[28] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

There's  a  firing  squad  shooting  a  boy  down  in  Virginia 

this  morning ! 

[Shakes  his  head.} 
I  hope  I  didn't  do  wrong  to  let  them.    Somehow  I  could 

not  find  an  excuse  to  save  him 

[Sighs.] 
The  Generals  are  all  after  me  about  my  pardons 


NICOLAY 

The  Secretary  of  War  is  out  there  now,  champing  his 
bit,  to  head  you  off  on  some  of  them,  I  think 

LINCOLN 
Don't  let  old  Mars  in  yet.    He's  no  business  here  at  this 

hour.    Let  him  paw  a  hole  in  the  ground. 

[Pauses.] 
Any  news  from  the  front,  this  morning? 

NICOLAY 

[Handing  him  a  telegram.] 
From  General  Grant's  lines — only  this,  sir 


LINCOLN 
[Reads.] 

"Confederate  Cavalry  raiders  capture  a  Brigadier  Gen- 
eral and  fifty  army  mules." — Too  bad — rush  a  regi- 
ment after  the  mules — they're  worth  $200  a  piece — 
Jeff  Davis  can  have  my  Brigadier  General ! 

NICOLAY 
[Laughs.] 

Yes,  sir — and  this  came  in  code  from  Sherman — 
[Hands  LINCOLN  another  telegram.] 
[29] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Eagerly."] 

Word  from  Sherman!    Good! 
[Reads.'] 

"Scouts  report  Hood's  trenches  before  Atlanta  are 

impregnable — carefully  considering  a  flank  move- 
ment— but  as  yet,  I  cannot  find  the  position  or 
strength  of  Hood's  second  line "  W.  T.  Sher- 


man- 


[Pauses.~\ 
Grant's  deadlocked  with  Lee  at  Petersburg — If-Sherman- 

could-only-give-us-Atlanta ! 

[Pauses."] 
I've  a  notion  to  telegraph  Sherman  an  order  direct ! 

NICOLAY 

I  wouldn't  go  over  General  Grant's  head,  sir,  with  a 
military  order — he's  sensitive 

LINCOLN 

It  might  make  trouble — Grant  might  resent  my  inter- 
ference with  his  plan  of  campaign 

NICOLAY 
It  would  have  to  be  filed  in  the  War  Department 

LINCOLN 
Yes — I  know.    Anything  else ? 

NICOLAY 

[Handing  him  a  large  document.'] 

Baker's  full  report  of  the  secret  service  on  the  Copper- 
head Societies He  asks  for  the  immediate  ar- 
rest of  their  leaders — and  I  think  he's  right 

[30] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

[Shakes  his  head.] 
It  won't  do — it  won't  do  just  now — it's  an  ugly  business 

— too  ugly  for  haste — I'll  look  it  over  carefully 

[Lays  the  report  on  his  desk.] 
I'm  ready  now  to  see  the  people 

NlCOLAY 

The  Republican  National  Committee  are  in  town,  sir 

LINCOLN 
What  on  earth  are  they  doing  here ? 

NICOLAY 
That's  what  everybody's  asking 


LINCOLN 

They  should  be  in  their  States,  leading  the  Party  to 
victory What  do  they  want? 

NICOLAY 

To  see  you 

LINCOLN 

Umph ! 

NICOLAY 

Henry  Raymond,  their  Chairman,  is  with  them,  and  has 
just  sent  word  demanding  a  hearing  before  your 
public  reception  this  morning. 

LINCOLN 

Make  the  appointment  later.  They're  all  distinguished 
men.  They  can  wait  while  the  humbler  people  have 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

their  turn.  I  came  up  here  from  the  wilderness.  I 
know  what  it  means  to  have  the  great  rush  by 

me 

[Laughs.'] 
No — I'll  see  the  common  folks  first 

NICOLAY 
I  think  you'd  better  see  this   Committee  right  away, 

sir 

LINCOLN 
Why ?    What  have  you  heard ? 

NICOLAY 
Some  ugly  rumors 

LINCOLN 

Spare  me  the  rumors!  We've  enough  of  them  flying 
around  Washington  to  poison  us  all.  They  can  only 
wish  me  to  hedge  on  some  of  my  principles  in  this 
crisis.  I've  made  all  the  campaign  statements  I'm 
going  to  make.  I've  faith  in  the  good  sense  of  the 
people.  I'm  going  to  plant  my  feet  squarely  on 
that  faith  and  wait  the  verdict  of  this  election 

NICOLAY 
You  won't  see  the  Committee  now ? 

LINCOLN 

No !     I'll  take  my  bath  of  public  opinion  first.     I 

want  to  see  real  men  and  women  and  feel  their  hearts 
beat  close  to  mine.  It  tones  me  up  for  the  day's 
work — let  them  in. 

[STANTON  bursts  into  the  room  in  a  towering  rage.] 
[32] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

STANTON 

Mr.  President,  I've  been  kept  waiting! 
[Confronting  NICOLAY.] 
[NicoLAY  turns  away  and  laughs.] 

Nicolay!  How  dare  you  keep  me  waiting  in  an  ante- 
room, while  you  talk  to  the  President !  I  want  you 
to  understand,  sir,  that  as  Secretary  of  War,  I've 
the  right  to  enter  this  room  at  any  hour,  day  or  night, 
announced  or  unannounced,  and  by  God,  I'm  going 
to  exercise  that  privilege! 
[STANTON  paces  the  HOOT  furiously.'} 

LINCOLN 
[Laughing.] 

Well,  you're  here  now,  and  it's  all  right,  Stanton — Easy ! 
Easy,  or  we'll  have  to  put  some  rocks  in  your  pocket 
to  hold  you  down.  What  can  I  do ? 

STANTON 

Mr.  President,  I've  come  here  this  morning  to  make  a 
square  issue  with  you  on  the  abuse  of  the  pardoning 
power  which  you  are  making  daily 

LINCOLN 

As  Chief  Magistrate  of  the  peopje,  I  have  been  clothed 
with  that  power,  Stanton i. 

STANTON 
[Angrily.] 

You  have  no  right  to  exercise  it  under  the  present  con- 
ditions !     Discipline  in   our  armies  must  be  main- 
tained.    You  are  hamstringing  me  and  every  Gen- 
[33] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

eral  in  the  field — by  suspending  the  death  penalty 
of  our  Courts-Martial.  Men  are  deserting  in  thou- 
sands and  we've  got  to  put  a  stop  to  it. 

LINCOLN 

That's  what  I  say !     Bring  to  me  the  traitors  who 

are  causing  them  to  desert,  and  see  what  I'll  do  to 
them! 

STANTON 

You  can't  evade  the  issue  I'm  making,  sir!  You'll  be 
asked  this  morning  to  pardon  a  deserter.  I  call  a 
halt  here  and  now — will  you  stop  to-day  the  use  of 
this  pardoning  power ? 

LINCOLN 
I've  got  to  hear  both  sides — it's  my  solemn  duty 


STANTON 

All  right,  I'm  done.     There's  my  resignation  as  your 
Secretary  of  War — Good-by! 

[STANTON  strides  angrily  to  the  door  and  LINCOLN 
speaks  as  he  puts  his  hand  on  the  knob.] 

LINCOLN 
Wait  a  minute 

STANTON 
It's  no  use 

LINCOLN 

Come  back  here.    I've  something  to  say  to  you. 
[STANTON  returns.] 

STANTON 

You're  wasting  your  breath 

[34] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

Stanton,  I  appointed  you  Secretary  of  War  against  the 
advice  of  every  man  about  me.  You  were  a  can- 
tankerous Democrat  and  my  enemy.  You  had  said 
the  meanest  things  about  me  that  were  ever  spoken 
in  Washington — and  that's  putting  it  pretty  strong. 
You  called  me  a  low  clown — the  original  gorilla. 
In  spite  of  all  this,  I  saw  your  great  qualities!  I 
saw  that  you  were  absolutely  fearless  and  absolutely 
honest,  that  your  nerves  were  made  of  sieel  and 
your  capacity  for  work  was  boundless.  Even  in 
your  passions  and  hatreds,  you  showed  a  loyalty  to 
the  Union  that  rose  above  the  parties  and  creeds  of 
a  lifetime.  I  like  men  of  your  strong  personality. 
They  stand  between  a  nation  and  hell.  And  so,  I 
appointed  you,  my  bitter  foe,  to  my  cabinet.  I've 
never  regretted  it  for  a  minute  in  these  years  of 
blood  and  anguish.  You've  made  the  best  Secre- 
tary of  War  this  country  ever  had.  In  spite  of  your 
mean  traits  and  your  awful  profanity,  I've  learned 
to  love  you !  Now,  you've  resigned,  and  done  your 
duty,  as  you  see  it.  I've  accepted  your  resignation, 

conscripted  you  again,  and  reappointed  you ! 

[Pauses  and  strokes  his  shoulder.'} 

Go  back  to  your  desk  and  stick  to  the  rules — that's  your 
business;  and  I'll  keep  right  on  here  tempering 
Justice  with  Mercy  when  I  get  a  chance. 

STANTON 
[Casing  at  him  a  moment  hopelessly.] 

Well, — I  suppose  I'll  have  to  try ! 

[Snorts.'] 

[35] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

But — I'm — damned — if — you — interfere — with  —  me  — 
again ! 
[STANTON  hurries  to  the  door.'] 

LINCOLN 

All  right  now But  look  here,  Stanton 

[STANTON  pauses."] 

If  I  have  to  send  over  a  pardon  or  two  to  you  this  morn- 
ing  

STANTON 
Hell  fire! 

LINCOLN 

Easy — easy  now !    You'll  know  they're  very  urgent,  and 
will  admit  of  no  delay  on  account  of  red  tape 

STANTON 

[Throws  his  hands  up  in  wild  gesture  of  despair."] 
Oh,  my  God! 

[STANTON  exits."] 

LINCOLN 
John,  the  old  Fox  was  trying  to  head  me  off,  wasn't 

he ?    Get  them  in  here  quick — who's  the  first  in 

turn ? 

NICOLAY 
A  young  lady  to  plead  for  the  life  of  her  brother 

LINCOLN 
Bring  her  in! 

[As  NICOLAY  goes  to  the  door,  LINCOLN  follows  to 

meet  the  young  woman.     She  enters,  a  forlorn 

little  figure  with  baby  face  and  blonde  hair.    She 

is  plainly  dressed  in  homespun  cloth  and  does  not 

[36] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

wear  hoopskirts.     The  President  greets  her  with 
the  utonost  deference, 

LINCOLN 

[Taking  both  her  hands.] 

My  dear  young  lady — I'm  glad  to  see  you — good  old 
Pennsylvania  Dutch !  I  knew  you  before  you  spoke 
— my  folks  came  down  to  Virginia  from  there,  in 
the  old  Colonial  days 

THE  SISTER 
[Overcome.'] 
Oh — Meester — Presiden — you  are  so  goot  to  me — you 

are  so  kind 

[Pauses  overcome.'] 

I  haf  no  speech 

LINCOLN 
Come  now,  tell  me  in  your  own  way  what  I  can  do  to 

help  you 

THE  SISTER 

Oh — Meester  Presiden — you  can  do  all — you  can  do  any 
t'ing — und  I  am  so  happy  to  see  you — I  cannot  be- 
gin  

LINCOLN 
[Soothing  her.] 

Take  your  time,  little  girl — all  the  others  will  have  to 
wait  on  you  now 

THE  SISTER 

Ya-ya — it  is  my  turn  now — ya,  und  I  must  hurry.  You 
see,  it's  mine  brudder — he  ist  just  von  leetle  poy, 
Meester  Presiden — von  leetle  poy  with  curly  hair 

like  mine 

[She  chokes.] 

[37] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

[Taking  her  hand.] 
And  what  happened  to  him,  my  dear? 

THE  SISTER 

Veil,  you  see  he  lif  wid  me  in  Pennsylvania — ve  are  all 
alone  to-gedder — und  he  lef  me  und  go  into  der 
armee — und  von  bad  man  he  giv  him  a  leetle  book 
vot  tell  him  to  desert  und  go  home  to  his  peoples — 

I  haf  dot  leetle  book,  Meester  Presiden 

[She  hands  him  the  book.] 

Und  my  brudder  he's  such  a  leetle  poy,  he  read  und  he 
tink  vot  ze  book  say  is  so,  und  he  leef  ze  armee  und 
come  home  und  kiss  me  und  say,  "I  vill  take  care 

of  you  now,  mein  seester " 

[Breaks  down.] 

Und  zey  come  und  take  heem,  und  now  he  is  to  be 

shot 

[She  chokes] 

[LINCOLN  reads  the  title  of  the  little  book."] 

LINCOLN 
"Why  should  Brothers  Fight?"  "By  Richard  Vaughan" 

— an  old  Copperhead  leader  I'll  warrant! 

[Pauses."] 
And  you  came  to  me,  all  alone,  little  girl? 

THE  SISTER 
Ya — I  haf  no  friens  here 

LINCOLN 
Your  Congressman  does  not  know  of  this? 

[NICOLAY  begins  to  make  out  the  pardon.] 
[38] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

THE  SISTER 

I  do  not  know  ze  Congress-man — mem  leetle  brudder  is 
all  I  haf— 

LINCOLN 

Alone,  friendless — with  no  Congressman  to  speak  for 
you!  Well,  little  girl,  you  don't  need  anybody  to 
speak  for  you — you  speak  for  yourself — you're  good 
and  honest  and  love  your  brother — and  by  jings,  you 
don't  wear  hoopskirts — I'm  sorry  to  rile  old  Stanton 

again 

[Laughs.] 

But  I'm  going  to  pardon  your  brother ! 

THE  SISTER 

[Seizes  and  kisses  his  hand.] 
Oh — Meester  Presiden — I  praise  ze  good  God 

LINCOLN 

There !  There !  Now,  don't  do  that,  you'll  have  me  cry- 
ing in  a  minute  and  John  Nicolay  here  will  see 

me 

THE  SISTER 
Ya!  Meester  Nicolay — won't  mind — he  so  kind  to  me 

too 

[NICOLAY  has  prepared  the  pardon  and  the  Presi- 
dent signs  and  hands  it  to  her.] 

THE  SISTER 
[Seising  the  pardon.] 
Wiz  all  my  heart! 

LINCOLN 
[To  NICOLAY.] 

Send  her  to  Stanton,  and  tell  him  to  rush  that  order  to 
stay  the  execution.    They  shall  not  shoot  this  poor 
[39] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

boy,  ignorant  of  our  laws,  but  if  he  can  find  the  man 

who  put  that  little  book 

[Holds  up  book.'] 

into  his  hand,  advising  desertion — I'll  hang  him  on  a. 

gallows  forty  cubits  high ! 

[He  lays  the  booklet  on  his  desk.] 

[NicoLAY  writes  on  the  back  of  the  pardon.'] 

THE  SISTER 
[Joyfully.'] 

Mein  brudder  he  vill  go  back  und  he  vill  be  von  goot  poy 
for  you,  Meester  Presiden 

LINCOLN 

Yes,  I  know  he  will,  my  child,  I  know  he  will.  Good-by, 
and  God  bless  you. 

THE  SISTER 

Und  God  bless  you,  Meester  Presiden ! 

[NICOLAY  pauses  at  the  door  and  gives  orders  to 
the  doorman.'] 

NICOLAY 

Edward,   take   her  to  the  War  Office  with  this   mes- 
sage  

EDWARD 
Yes,  sir 

CONGRESSMAN 
I  demand  to  see  the  President  at  once 


NICOLAY 

I  can't  admit  you,  Mr.  Congressman,  just  now- 

[40] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

CONGRESSMAN 
[Forcing  his  way  in.] 

I  demand  it,  sir 

[LINCOLN  crosses  to  the  door.'] 

LINCOLN 
What  is  it,  John 


CONGRESSMAN 

Mr.  President,  I  have  been  here  three  times !  I  demand 
the  right  to  see  you — to  ask  the  pardon  of  one  of 
my  constituents. 

LINCOLN 
All  right !    Out  with  it ! 

CONGRESSMAN 

He  is  one  of  the  solid  citizens  of  Massachusetts ;  a  slave 
trader  whose  ship  has  been  confiscated.  He  has 
spent  five  years  in  prison,  and  cannot  pay  the  heavy 

fine  in  money  imposed He  is  not  a  bad  man  at 

heart. 

LINCOLN 
And  he  wants  me  to  pardon  him — this  slave-trader f 

CONGRESSMAN 

I  ask  it  as  a  matter  of  justice — he  has  paid  the  penalty — 
five  long  years  in  prison 

LINCOLN 
[Laughs."] 

I  might  pardon  a  murderer  from  old  Massachusetts, 
she's  done  glorious  service  in  this  war — but  a  man 
who  can  make  a  business  of  going  to  Africa  and 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

robbing  her  of  helpless  men,  women  and  children 

and  selling  them  into  bondage ! 

[He  pauses  and  stiffens.] 

— before  that  man  can  have  liberty  by  any  act  of 

mine,  he  can  stay  in  jail  and  rot! 

NlCOLAY 

[To  the  Congressman.] 
Now,  you've  got  it ! 

CONGRESSMAN 
[Crestfallen.'] 
Yes — I  heard  it 

LINCOLN 

[Turning    back    to    his   desk,    and    examining    his 
papers.] 

Good Bring  in  the  next  one,  John ! 

[As  NICOLAY  exits  with  the  Congressman  who  con- 
tinues to  talk  in  loud  tones,  a  sweet  little  girl  of 
twelve  slips  by  and  reaches  the  President's  desk 
unannounced.     The  President  has  taken  his  seat 
and  is  writing.     While  the  President  continues  to 
write,  the  little  girl  slips  close  and  watches  him 
wistfully.  He  lifts  his  head,  sees  her,  and  smiles.] 
Why,  what  a  wee  girl — and  you  got  in  here  all  by  your- 
self  ? 

VIRGINIA 
I  slipped  in  when  no  one  was  looking 

LINCOLN 

Did  you?    What  did  you  do  that  for? 

[42] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VIRGINIA 
I  was  afraid  they  wouldn't  let  me  in,  if  they  knew  what 

I  wanted 

LINCOLN 
[Tenderly.} 
And  what  do  you  want? 

VIRGINIA 

If  you  please,  sir — a  pass  to  go  through  the  lines  to  Vir- 
ginia— my  brother's  there — he  was  shot  in  the  last 
battle — and  I  want  to  see  him. 

LINCOLN 
Of  course,  you  do — and  you  shall  too. 

[He  seises  his  pen,  writes  a  pass  and  hands  it  to 
her.] 

VIRGINIA 
[Breathlessly.'] 
Oh,  thank  you — thank  you! 

LINCOLN 
[Casually  placing  his  hand  on  her  head.] 

Of  course,  you're  loyal ? 

[VIRGINIA'S  lips  quiver,  she  hesitates,  looks  up  into 
his  face  through  dimmed  eyes,  and  her  slender 
body  stiffens  as  she  slowly  speaks.] 

VIRGINIA 
Yes — loyal — with  all  my  heart — to  Virginia! 

[The  trembling  little  fingers  hand  the  pass  back  as 
the  tears  roll  down  her  cheeks.  Lincoln  looks 
away  to  hide  from  her  his  own  emotion,  stoops 
and  takes  her  hand  in  his.  His  voice  is  low  and 
tender  and  full  of  feeling.] 
[43] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

I  know  what  it  cost  you  to  say  that,  child.  You're  a 
brave  little  girl !  And  I'll  love  you  always  for  this 
glimpse  you've  given  me  of  a  great  spirit  and  a  great 

people.     That's  why  I  can't  let  the  South  go 

They  can't  leave  this  Union.     We  need  them 

Now  I  can  trust  you ? 

VIRGINIA 
[Eagerly."] 
Yes,  sir! 

[NICOLAY  enters  with  a  young  mother  and  baby  and 
hesitates  at  sight  of  the  little  girl.] 

LINCOLN 
Come  on  in,  John — it's  all  right.    I'm  about  through  with 

this  young  lady 

[NICOLAY  brings  the  young  mother  to  the  desk  and 

LINCOLN  takes  VIRGINIA  down  stage.'] 
Come  down  here,  dear,  so  old  man  Nicolay  can't  hear  us 

— he  mightn't  understand. 

[He  sits  on  a  chair  and  draws  the  girl  close. ,] 
You  see,  I  understand  you — and  can  trust  you  implicitly. 

Now  if  I  give  you  back  this  and  let  you  go — will  you 

promise  me  that  no  word  shall  pass  your  lips  of 

what  you've  seen  inside  our  lines? 

Oh,  yes — I  promise 

LINCOLN 

[Handing  her  the  pass.] 
May  God  speed  the  day,  child,  when  your  people  and 

mine  shall  no  longer  be  enemies 

[44] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VIRGINIA 
Thank  you,  sir ! 

LINCOLN 
Run  now! 

[VIRGINIA  exits.     At  the  door  she  throws  him  a 

kiss.] 
[LINCOLN  comes  quickly  to  the  mother  and  greets 

her  cheerily.'] 
Well,  little  mother,  what's  the  matter? 

[She  hesitates  and  appeals  to  NICOLAY.] 

NICOLAY 
Tell  him  yourself 

THE  MOTHER 
[Trembling.'} 

If  you  please,  sir,  we  ain't  been  married  but  a  little  over 
a  year,  and  my  husband's  never  seen  the  baby 

LINCOLN 

That's  too  bad 

THE  MOTHER 

He's  in  the  army  and  I  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer — so 
I  came  down  to  Washington  to  get  a  pass  to  take 
the  baby  to  him.  But  he  wouldn't  let  me  have  it  at 
the  War  Office 

LINCOLN 

[Laughs.] 
I'll  bet  old  Mars  wouldn't — Phew ! 

[Pauses  and  turns  to  NICOLAY.] 
What  do  you  say,  John — let's  send  her  down? 

[451 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

The  strictest  orders  have  been  issued  to  allow  no  more 
women  to  go  to  the  front 

LINCOLN 

Humph !    Well,  I'll  tell  you  what  we  can  do — give 

her  husband  a  leave  of  absence,  and  let  him  come 
up  here  to  see  them! 

THE  MOTHER 
[Laughing  and  crying.} 

You  don't  mind  my  laughing,  do  you?  I  just  can't  help 
it — I  can't  stop !  I  can't  stop  laughing ! 

LINCOLN 

Laugh  and  cry  as  much  as  you  please — but  tell  me  where 
are  you  stopping? 

THE  MOTHER 

Nowhere  yet,  sir 

LINCOLN 
How's  that? 

THE  MOTHER 

I  went  straight  from  the  depot  to  the  War  Office  and 
then  I  just  walked  the  street  blind  with  crying  till  I 
made  up  my  mind  to  come  here. 

LINCOLN 

We'll  fix  that  then !  Nicolay  will  write  you  an  order  that 
will  take  you  and  your  baby  to  a  good  hospital  and 
care  for  you  till  your  husband  comes — and  fix  it  so 

he  can  stay  here  a  week  with  you 

[46] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

THE  MOTHER 
[Laughs.] 

I  just  can't  thank  vou!  I'm  so  happy,  all  I  can  do  is 
to  laugh! 

LINCOLN 

Laugh  on,  little  mother — and  off  with  you  now — clear 
out! 
[The  mother  goes  out  laughing.'] 

[NicoLAY  shows  the  little  mother  out  and  returns  to 
LINCOLN.] 

NICOLAY 

The  deputation  of  colored  men  whom  you  asked  to  come 
this  morning  are  waiting,  sir — will  you  see  them 
now? 

LINCOLN 

At  once 

[LINCOLN  turns  to  his  desk  and  takes  up  a  docu- 
ment containing  his  plan  of  Colonisation  and 
examines  it  as  NICOLAY  and  three  well-dressed 
colored  men  enter.  They  are  typical  Africans.] 

FIRST  NEGRO 
[Bowing  deferentially.'] 
Mr.  President ! 

SECOND  NEGRO 
[Tenderly.] 
Our  Father  Abraham 

THIRD  NEGRO 
[With  religious  feeling.] 
We  salute  our  Savior ! 

[47] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

Welcome,  my  friends.  I  have  sent  for  you  this  morning 
to  place  in  your  hands  a  copy  of  my  plan  for  coloni- 
zation and  to  ask  your  help 

FIRST  NEGRO 

Yes,  sir 

[The  ebony  faces  with  their  crecwn  white  teeth  show- 
ing in  smiles  and  their  wide  rolling  eyes  make  a 
striking  contrast  to  the  rugged  face  and  poise  of 
the  President.'] 

LINCOLN 

Your  race  is  suffering,  in  my  judgment,  the  greatest 
wrong  inflicted  on  any  people.  But  even  when  you 
cease  to  be  slaves,  you  are  yet  far  removed  from 
being  placed  on  an  equality  with  the  white  race.  On 
this  broad  continent,  not  a  single  man  of  your  race 
is  made  the  equal  of  a  single  man  of  ours 

FIRST  NEGRO 
It's  so — yes,  it's  so ! 

LINCOLN 

Go  where  you  are  treated  best  and  the  ban  is  still  upon 
you.  I  cannot  alter  it  if  I  would.  It  is  better  for 
us  both,  therefore,  to  be  separated.  For  the  sake 
of  your  people  you  should  sacrifice  something  of 
your  present  comfort. 

FIRST  NEGRO 
Let  our  great  leader  show  us  the  way 

LINCOLN 

The  Colony  of  Liberia  is  an  old  one,  and  it  is  open  to 
you.    I  am  now  arranging  to  open  another  in  Central 
[48] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

America.  You  are  intelligent  and  know  that  suc- 
cess does  not  so  much  depend  on  external  help  as 
on  self-reliance.  If  you  will  engage  in  the  enterprise 
I  will  spend  the  money  Congress  has  entrusted  to 
me  for  this  purpose.  I  ask  you  to  consider  it 
seriously,  not  for  yourselves  merely,  nor  for  your 
race  and  ours  for  the  present  time,  BUT  FOR  THE 
GOOD  OF  MANKIND. 

FIRST  NEGRO 

We  will,  sir ! 

LINCOLN 

The  practical  thing  I  want  to  ascertain  is  whether  I  can 
get  a  number  of  able-bodied  men  with  their  wives 
and  children  to  go  at  once — men  who  "can  cut  their 

own  fodder"  so  to  speak ?    Take  this  plan,  show 

it  to  your  people 

[Hands  the  document  to  the  First  Negro.'] 
— and  find  this  out  for  me 

FIRST  NEGRO 
We'll  do  our  best 

THIRD  NEGRO 
[Bowing  out  with  religious  ecstasy."} 

Praise  God  forever  for  our  Savior-Leader ! 

[NICOLAY  ushers  out  the  three  Negroes  and  shows 
in  a  stately  black-robed  figure  in  mourning  for  her 
dead.  She  walks  quietly  to  the  President  and  ex- 
tends her  hand  with  a  gracious  smile.'] 

THE  WOMAN 


1HE    WOMAN 

Perhaps  I've  done  wrong  to  take  up  your  time 

[49] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
My  time  belongs  to  the  people,  Madam 


THE  WOMAN 

I've  come  to  you,  Mr.  President,  under  an  impulse  I 
could  not  resist.  Mr.  Stoddard,  your  third  Secre- 
tary, is  my  friend.  He  told  me  this  morning  that  all 
night  the  sound  of  your  footfall  came  from  this 
room.  He  heard  it  at  nine,  at  ten,  at  eleven.  At 
midnight  the  Secretary  of  War  left  the  door  ajar 
and  the  steady  tramp  came  with  heavier  sound.  The 
last  thing  he  heard  at  three  was  the  muffled  beat  up- 
stairs. The  guard  said  it  had  not  stopped  at  day- 
light. I  saw  you  staggering  alone  under  a  Nation's 
sorrow  and  I  wondered  if  you  had  been  given  the 
vision  to  see  the  dawn  of  a  new  life  for  our  people. 
I  know  I'm  looking  into  the  eyes  of  the  man  whose 
word  can  stop  this  war  and  divide  the  Union — I 
have  come  to  tell  you  that  I  lost  my  first  born  son 

at  Fredericksburg — a  lad  of  twenty 

[She  pauses  and  LINCOLN  bends  and  presses  her 
hand.] 

May  God  help  you  in  your  trials,  Mr.  President,  as  he 
has  helped  me  in  mine 

LINCOLN 
[Startled.'] 

You  lost  your  first  born  at  Fredericksburg  and  come  to 
say  this  to  me? 

THE  WOMAN 

And  I've  been  praying  for  you,  day  and  night  since 

[50] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Softly.} 

Will  you  say  that  again,  Madam 

THE  WOMAN 

I  have  been  praying  for  you,  day  and  night,  and  I've 
come  this  morning  to  bring  you  this  message — Be 
strong  and  courageous,  and  God  will  bring  the  Na- 
tion through! 

LINCOLN 

You  say  this  to  me — standing  beside  the  grave  of  your 
son? 

THE  WOMAN 

And  beside  the  cot  of  my  other  boy  of  sixteen  who  was 
dangerously  wounded  in  General  Grant's  last  battle. 
I  am  proud  of  two  such  sons  to  lay  on  the  altar  of 
my  country.  I  had  to  tell  you  that  I'm  praying  for 
you. 

[LINCOLN  closes  both  hcmds  over  hers  and  holds 
them  a  moment  in  silence.] 

LINCOLN 

[With  upward  gaze.~\ 

How  strange  that  you  should  come  to  me  in  this  black 
hour  with  such  a  message.  I've  often  wondered  if 
the  soul  of  my  mother  were  not  speaking  to  me! 
The  day  she  died  in  the  woods  of  Indiana,  she  told 
me  that  if  dark  hours  came,  her  spirit  would  be 
watching,  and  she'd  help  me  if  she  could!  While 
you  were  talking  to  me — I  got  the  tremor  of  her 
voice  and  the  quiver  of  her  lips — how  strange ! 
[Looking  down  into  her  face.~\ 

[51] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

Thank  you,  Madam !    You  have  brought  me  medicine  for 
both  body  and  soul. 
[LINCOLN  presses  her  hand  again  and  she  quietly 

goes  as  he  gazes  after  her.~\ 
[NicoLAY  starts  to  follow  her  to  the  door — LINCOLN 

lifts  his  hand.'] 
John,  I'm  rested  now — I'm  ready  for  any  work ! 

NICOLAY 
The  National  Committee  have  just  arrived,  sir. 

LINCOLN 
All  right — let  them  in! 

[LINCOLN  resumes  his  place  beside  his  desk  and  the 
Committee  headed  by  HENRY  RAYMOND,  Editor 
of  the  New  York  Times,  enter  and  solemnly 
range  themselves  about  the  President.] 

LINCOLN 

[To  HENRY  RAYMOND — taking  his  hand  formally.] 
Raymond,  this  is  an  unexpected  honor  you  and  your 
Committee  do  me.  I  thought  you  were  at  your 
desk  in  the  Times  office  pouring  hot  shot  into  the 
flanks  of  our  enemies,  and  the  boys  were  all  at 
home  fighting  for  the  victory  that  must  be  ours  on 
the  first  Tuesday  in  November.  Not  that  you're  un- 
welcome. You  are  the  leaders  of  public  opinion. 
The  people  rale  this  country,  and  I  am  their  servant 
— what  is  it ? 

RAYMOND 

You  may  be  sure,  Mr.  President,  that  our  mission  is  of 
the    gravest    importance.      These    gentlemen    have 
brought   such   startling   reports    from  their  several 
[52] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

states  as  to  the  bitterness  and  closeness  of  the  fight, 
that  they  have  reached  a  unanimous  conclusion 

LINCOLN 

And  that  is ? 

RAYMOND 

That  with  your  personality  and  record  against  General 
McClellan's,  your  Democratic  opponent — the  elec- 
tion for  us  is  lost. 

LINCOLN 

Your  statement  is  blunt.  But,  as  I  have  been  renomi- 
nated  for  a  second  term,  my  administration  has  been 
endorsed  by  our  party,  and  the  election  is  only  eight 
weeks  off — there  is  but  one  conclusion  possible — 
and  that  is,  that  you  should  roll  up  your  sleeves  and 
get  to  work. 

RAYMOND 

The  National  Committee,  Mr.  President,  has  reached  a 
different  conclusion 

LINCOLN 

Yes ? 

RAYMOND 

In  view  of  your  unpopularity,  in  view  of  the  criticism 
of  your  policies,  and  your  conduct  of  the  war — they 
have  decided  to  ask  you  to  withdraw  from  the  ticket 
and  permit  them  to  name  a  new  candidate 

LINCOLN 
[Springing  to  his  feet."] 

What ! 

RAYMOND 

I  liave  stated  it  bluntly 

[53] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
And  this  is  your  unanimous  verdict,  gentlemen — 


ALL 
Yes. 

LINCOLN 

[Paces  the  floor  a  moment  and  then  faces  the  Com- 
mittee.'} 

It  surpasses  human  belief !  Future  generations  will  hold 
it  incredible — that  you,  my  party  leaders,  should  heap 
this  insult  upon  the  man  who  led  you  to  your  first 
and  only  victory.  That  you  should  come  here  to- 
day to  ask  me  to  quit  under  fire,  to  sacrifice  with- 
out a  blow  all  I  hold  worth  fighting  for  on  this 

earth ! 

RAYMOND 

The  Committee  made  their  request  solely  on  the  ground 
of  patriotic  duty — and  ask  you  for  the  sacrifice  upon 
the  same  grounds.  They  have  found  it  impossible 
to  defend  your  policies 

LINCOLN 
[Brusquely.'] 
What  policies? 

RAYMOND 

Understand  me,  Mr.  President — I  am  telling  you  the  con- 
clusion of  this  Committee 

LINCOLN 

All  right,  Raymond — fire  away — spare  me  the  oratory, 
please — just  give  me  the  plain  reasons,  one  at  a  time, 

why  you  wish  me  to  get  off  the  ticket 

[54] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

RAYMOND 

The  first  policy  found  indefensible  has  been  your  han- 
dling of  the  border  slave  states  of  Maryland,  Ken- 
tucky and  Missouri.  You  have  not  yet  declared  the 
slaves  free  in  these  states,  the  only  ones  in  which  you 
actually  have  the  power  to  do  so — at  all. 

LINCOLN 

The  first  policy  of  my  Administration  has  been  to  save 
for  the  Union  the  great  border  states — for  the 
simple  reason — with  these  border  slave  states,  we 
have  such  a  balance  of  power  that  the  Union  may 
be  saved!  Without  these  states,  the  Union  cannot 
be  saved !  Therefore  in  my  Proclamation  of  Eman- 
cipation, I  purposely  did  not  raise  the  question  of 
the  right  or  wrong  of  slavery.  If  slavery  is  not 
wrong,  nothing  is  wrong.  But  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States,  which  I  have  sworn  to  uphold  in 
the  border  states  of  Maryland,  Kentucky  and  Mis- 
souri, guarantees  to  their  people  the  right  to  hold 
slaves  if  they  choose. 

RAYMOND 

But  why  pat  on  the  back  the  slaveholder  of  Maryland 
and  strike  at  the  slaveholder  of  South  Carolina? 

LINCOLN 

Because  Maryland  is  loyal  to  the  Union,  and  South 
Carolina  is  fighting  it.  My  Proclamation  was  not  a 
sermon  on  the  rights  of  man — black  or  white.  It 
was  an  act  of  war — a  blow  aimed  at  the  heart  of  the 
seceding  South  to  break  its  wealth  and  power,  end 
the  war,  and  save  the  Union.  I  know  the  spell  of 
[551 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

State  loyalty  in  the  South,  gentlemen.  I  was  born 
there.  Many  a  mother  in  Richmond  wept  the  day 
our  flag  fell  from  their  Capitol.  But  they  brushed 
their  tears  away  and  sent  their  sons  to  the  front  the 
next  day,  to  fight  that  flag — in  the  name  of  Virginia! 
So  would  thousands  of  mothers  in  these  border 
slave  states,  if  I  put  them  to- the  test.  In  God's  own 
time  slavery  will  be  destroyed.  I  have  saved  these 
states  for  our  cause  by  conciliation  and  compromise. 
I  will  not  apologize  for  this  act. 
[He  lifts  his  hand  to  stop  interruption.'] 

My  paramount  object  is  to  save  the  Union,  and  not, 
either  to  save  or  destroy  slavery.  If  I  could  save 
the  Union,  without  freeing  a  slave,  I  would  do  it. 
And  if  I  could  save  it  by  freeing  all  the  slaves,  I 
would  do  it.  And  if  I  could  save  it  by  freeing  some 
and  leaving  others  alone,  I  would  also  do  that.  What 
I  do  about  slavery  and  the  colored  race,  I  do  be- 
cause I  believe  it  helps  to  save  this  Union! 
[Pauses  and  faces  his  accusers.'} 

I'll  test  this  question  right  here — will  the  three  Com- 
mitteemen  from  Kentucky,  Missouri  and  Maryland 
stand  up  for  a  minute? 
[The  three  Committeemen  rise."] 

Will  the  gentleman  from  Kentucky  tell  me  what  would 
have  been  the  effect  if  I  had  included  his  state  in 
my  proclamation  freeing  the  slaves ? 

THE  KENTUCKY  COMMITTEEMAN 
The  state  would  have  seceded  from  the  Union,  sir. 

LINCOLN 
Just  so,  and  in  Missouri? 

[56] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

THE  MISSOURI  COMMITTEEMAN 

The  Legislature  would  have  joined  the  Confederacy 
within  twenty-four  hours. 

LINCOLN 

And  Maryland ? 

THE  MARYLAND  COMMITTEEMAN 

Maryland  would  have  promptly  cut  the  railroads  leading 
into  Washington,  isolated  the  Capital  and  joined 
the  South. 

LINCOLN 

And  with  the  loss  of  our  Capital,  Europe,  eager  to  strike, 
would  have  recognized  the  Confederacy,  would  they 
not? 

THE  MARYLAND  COMMITTEEMAN 
Undoubtedly,  sir 

LINCOLN 
So  I  hold 

THE  MARYLAND  COMMITTEEMAN 

Our  State  believed  you  when  you  said  in  your  Inaugural : 
"I  have  no  purpose  directly  or  indirectly  to  inter- 
fere with  the  institution  of  slavery  in  the  states 
where  it  exists!" 

LINCOLN 

Then  you  three  gentlemen,  at  least,  are  with  me  on  this 
issue? 

ALL  THREE 
Yes—!  Yes—!  Yes—! 

[57] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

I  thought  so 

[To  Raymond.] 
What  next? 

RAYMOND 

Your  plan  to  colonise  the  Negro  race  as  expressed  in 
your  Proclamation  of  Emancipation  and  in  the  bill 
which  you  have  had  passed  through  Congress  has 
hurt  your  best  friends 

LINCOLN 

And  why  should  it?  My  views  on  that  subject  were 
known  to  all  men  before  you  nominated  me  first  in 
Chicago,  four  years  ago.  I  said  then  that  I  be- 
lieved there  is  a  sharp  physical  difference  between 
the  white  and  black  races,  and  I  have  always  linked 
colonization  with  freedom.  The  Negro  cannot  re- 
main in  a  free  democracy  unless  we  absorb  him 
into  our  social  and  political  life.  Therefore,  we 
must  colonize  him.  We  owe  it  to  ourselves,  we  owe 
it  to  future  generations — above  all,  we  owe  it  to 
the  Negro  himself.  He  was  brought  here  by  cruel 
force.  At  our  own  expense,  therefore,  we  should  re- 
turn him  to  the  home  of  his  fathers,  and  build  there 
a  free  republic  for  his  children.  We  should  give  him 
our  language  and  our  ideals,  and  we  should  give  him 
millions  of  our  money,  until  he  can  stand  alone. 
We  must  face  this  problem  squarely  now. 

RAYMOND 

Yet  you  compromise  on  other  issues. 

[58] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

Only  because  I  must  to  save  the  Union.  Trim  and  hedge 
on  this  issue,  and  future  generations  will  feel  their 
way  back  to  it  through  blood  and  tears.  I  have  al- 
ways held  that  the  happiness  and  progress  of  this 
Union  of  Free  Democratic  States  will  be  secure  only 
in  the  separation  of  the  white  and  black  races,  and 

I  will  not  eat  my  words! 

[Pauses.] 

—the  next  charge  in  your  bill  of  indictment,  gentlemen? 

RAYMOND 

I  now  present  the  Hon.  Thaddeus  Stevens,  leader  of 
Congress,  the  representative  of  the  radical  wing  of 
our  party,  who  have  split  our  organization  by 
nominating  another  candidate  fof  President — Mr. 
Stevens  will  give  their  views. 

STEVENS 

[Pompously  to  the  Committee.'} 

The  radical  wing  of  the  party,  gentlemen,  has  been  the 
only  creative  force  within  it — and  is  the  only  thing 
that  gives  it  an  excuse  for  being  to-day. 

LINCOLN 
[Firmly.'} 

Which  means  that  you  think  that  I  am  superfluous  and 
always  have  been — I  thank  you — proceed! 

STEVENS 

We  denounce  first  your  policy  of  reconstruction  in  the 
South  as  weak  and  vacillating — a  civil  and  military 
failure.  As  the  army  advances,  the  South  should 
be  held  as  conquered  soil,  its  civilization  torn  up 

[59] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

by  the  roots,  the  property  of  the  Southern  white 
people  confiscated  and  given  to  the  Negroes.  The 
ballot  must  be  taken  from  the  whites  and  given  to 
their  slaves.  We  demand  this  just  vengeance  and 
we  will  be  content  with  nothing  less ! 

LINCOLN 

Stevens,  I  greet  with  shame  your  demands !  Surely  the 
vastness  of  this  war,  its  grim  battles,  its  heroism, 
its  anguish,  its  sublime  earnestness,  should  sink  all 
schemes  of  revenge.  Before  the  grandeur  of  its 
simple  story  our  children  will  walk  with  uncovered 
heads.  Conquered  soil !  The  South  has  never  been 
out  of  this  Union.  Secession  was  null  and  void  from 
the  beginning.  I  say  to  the  South  now,  as  I  have 
always  said:  "Come  back  home!  You  can  have 
peace  at  any  moment,  by  simply  laying  down  your 
arms  and  submitting  to  the  National  Authority." 
When  the  South  lies  crushed  at  our  feet,  God's 
vengeance  shall  be  enough. 

STEVENS 

The  life  of  our  party,  sir,  demands  that  the  Negro  be 
given  the  ballot  and  made  the  ruler  of  the  South. 
This  is  not  vengeance.  It  is  justice — it  is  patriot- 
ism. 

LINCOLN 

The  Nation  cannot  be  healed  until  the  South  is  healed. 
Let  the  gulf  be  closed  in  which  we  bury  strifes  and 
hatreds.     The  good  sense  of  our  people  will  never 
consent  to  your  scheme  of  vengeance. 
[60] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

STEVENS 

The  people  have  no  sense !  And  a  new  fool  is  born  every 
second. 

LINCOLN 

I  have  an  abiding  faith  in  their  honesty  ana!  good  pur- 
pose. I  have  trusted  the  people  before,  and  they 
have  not  failed  me. 

STEVENS 

Bah ! 

LINCOLN 

I  can't  tell  you,  Stevens,  how  your  venomous  plans 
sicken  me.  I'd  rather  work  with  you  than  fight 
you,  if  it's  possible.  But  the  line  is  drawn  now — 
we've  got  to  fight — and  I'm  not  afraid  of  you. 

STEVENS 
You  had  better  listen 

LINCOLN 

I'll  suffer  my  right  arm  to  be  severed  from  my  body  be- 
fore I'll  sign  one  measure  of  revenge  on  a  brave, 
fallen  foe! 

STEVENS 

I  have  always  known  you  had  a  sneaking  admiration  for 
the  South! 

LINCOLN 

I  love  the  South — it  is  a  part  of  this  Union !  And  when 
the  curse  of  slavery  is  lifted,  it  should  be  the  garden 
spot  of  the  world — I  love  every  foot  of  its  soil — 
every  hill  and  valley,  and  every  man,  woman  and 
child  in  it.  I  am  an  American! 
[61] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

STEVENS 

The  kind  of  an  American  that  makes  the  election  of  your 
opponent,  General  George  B.  McClellan,  a  cer- 
tainty  

LINCOLN 

Well,  who  would  you  put  in  my  place? 

[He  faces  RAYMOND  and  STEVENS,  and  dead  silence 
follows.] 

Come  on — out  with  his  name ! 

[They  remain  silent.] 

You  can't  name  him?    Let  me  try  to  nominate  him  for 

you On  a  platform  of  proscription  and  revenge, 

the  hanging  of  rebel  leaders,  the  confiscation  of  the 
property  of  the  white  people  of  the  South  and  its 
bestowment  upon  the  negroes,  the  taking  of  the 
ballot  from  the  whites  and  setting  their  slaves  to 
rule  over  them — on  this  program  I  resign  as  your 
candidate  and  nominate  for  President,  the  Hon. 
Thaddeus  Stevens 

THE  COMMITTEE 
[In  a  wild  uproar.] 

No!  No!  No!  Not  by  a  damn  sight!  To  hell  with 
Stevens ! 

[LINCOLN  quietly  laughs  and  STEVENS  angrily  lifts 
his  hand  to  quiet  them.] 

STEVENS 

Now  that  you've  had  your  joke — let  me  remind  you  that 
the  radical  wing  of  the  Republican  Party  has  already 

named  General  John  C.  Fremont  against  you 

[62] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[To  the  Committee.] 

What  say  you,  gentlemen ?    Shall  I  resign  in  favor 

of  the  bolte"r  who  attempted  to  dictate  to  you  your 
platform  and  your  candidate  before  your  convention 
met?  Do  you  ask  me  to  resign  in  favor  of  General 
Fremont  ? 

THE  COMMITTEE 

No !  No !  Down  with  the  bolter !  To  the  devil  with  Fre- 
mont. No !  No !  No !  Damnation — no 

[RAYMOND  quiets  the  uproar.] 

STEVENS 

I  am  not  asking  you  to  nominate  Fremont.  We  split 
the  party  and  named  Fremont  because  we  wouldn't 
have  you.  Get  off  the  ticket  and  we  will  withdraw 
Fremont  and  put  up  a  man  who  can  be  elected ! 
Whatever  the  chances  of  General  Fremont  at  this 
moment  the  election  of  McClellan  on  a  Democratic 
Copperhead  Platform  is  conceded  by  your  own 
party  councils.  McClellan  is  even  now  choosing  his 

Cabinet 

LINCOLN 

They  say  it  is  not  wise  to  count  chickens  before  they're 
hatched — we  still  have  our  chance! 

STEVENS 

You  have  no  chance !  You  have  already  been  weighed 
and  found  wanting!  In  the  Congressional  election, 
what  happened? — your  majorities  were  wiped  out. 
Maine  cut  you  down  from  nineteen  thousand  to 
four !  The  Democrats  swept  Ohio.  Indiana  de- 
serted us.  In  Pennsylvania  even,  we  lost  by  four 
[63] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

thousand.  New  York  elected  Horatio  Seymour 
against  us.  New  Jersey  turned  you  down.  Wis- 
consin was  a  tie.  In  your  own  state  of  Illinois, 
the  Democrats  won  by  seventeen  thousand ! 

LINCOLN 

Even  so,  Stevens — the  ballots  in  this  election  have  not 
yet  been  counted !  My  faith  in  the  ultimate  good 
sense  of  the  people  is  unshaken.  You  can  fool  some 
of  the  people  all  the  time.  You  can  fool  all  of  the 
people  sometimes.  But  you  can't  fool  all  the  people 
all  the  time ! 

STEVENS 

That's  why  we  ask  you  to  get  off  the  ticket!  You  are 
to-day  the  most  unpopular  man  who  ever  sat  in  the 
Presidential  chair.  For  the  first  time  in  our  history 
the  effigy  of  a  living  President — your  effigy — has 
been  publicly  burned  in  the  streets  of  American 
towns  and  cities,  amid  the  curses  and  jeers  of  the 
men  who  elected  you!  Your  administration  is  a 
failure — your  conduct  of  the  war  a  series  of 

blunders 

LINCOLN 
[Brusquely.'] 

For  example 

STEVENS 
[Furiously.] 

For  one  thing — you  have  never  yet  chosen  a  successful 
General.  The  South  has  not  changed  Commanders 
since  Jeff  Davis  appointed  Robert  E.  Lee.  In  thirty 
days  of  the  last  campaign  in  a  series  of  massacres, 
Lee  has  killed  and  wounded  sixty-two  thousand  of 
[64] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

our  men — more  than  he  himself  commanded — and 
Grant  has  only  reached  the  point  where  McClellan 
stood  in  1862.  He  could  have  marched  there  by  Mc- 
Clellan's  old  line  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  Wash- 
ington is  piled  with  the  wounded,  the  dying  and  the 
dead.  Your  mail  is  choked  with  letters  demanding 
the  removal  of  this  butcher  as  our  Commander,  and 
you  refuse — why? 

LINCOLN 
[Smiling  calmly.  ] 

Well,  now  that  you've  really  let  off  steam,  I  think  you'll 
feel  better,  Stevens ! 

STEVENS 

I  demand,  sir,  an  answer  to  my  question — why  have  you 
not  removed  Grant? 

LINCOLN 
[Quickly. J 

Because  I  can't  spare  him!  He  is  the  one  General  we 
have  developed  who  knows  how  to  fight — his  busi- 
ness is  not  to  reach  any  particular  spot  where  Mc- 
Clellan stood.  McClellan  was  generally  standing 
somewhere — he  was  a  great  engineer — of  the  sta- 
tionary type Grant  is  a  fighter.  His  business  is 

to  find  and  destroy  Lee's  army — and  his  sledge  ham- 
mer blows  are  winning  this  war! 

STEVENS 

Winning — is  he?  And  yet  Lee  sends  a  division  under 
Jubal  Early  and  reconquers  the  Valley  of  Virginia 
— invades  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  throws  his 
shells  into  Washington  and  burns  the  home  of  one 

of  your  Cabinet 

[65] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

And  if  old  Jubal  Early  had  been  a  little  earlier,  he  would 
have  burned  Washington,  too — but  thank  God, 
Grant  got  here  in  time — didn't  he?  What  have  you 
got  to  say  to  that? 

STEVENS 

That  Lee's  strategy  has  been  superb,  his  moral  victory 
complete!  He  holds  Grant  by  the  throat  while  he 
invades  the  North,  and  shells  our  Capitol — a  feat 
that  not  one  of  your  generals  has  yet  done  for  Rich- 
mond in  four  years — and  still  you  cling  to 

Grant ! 

LINCOLN 
[Angrily.  ] 

Now,  I'm  going  to  talk  plain  English  to  you,  Stevens. 
You're  an  Abolitionist,  and  you  can't  do  Grant 
justice.  Your  crowd  demanded  his  removal  after 
the  battle  of  Shiloh — and  you  made  it  so  hot  for  me 
then,  I  had  to  appoint  General  Halleck  his  superior, 
to  save  him  for  the  country.  You  can't  forget  that 
Grant  is  a  Democrat,  and  therefore  he  may  vote  for 
McClellan  against  our  party,  in  this  election! 

STEVENS 
I've  heard  that  he  is  for  McClelfen 

LINCOLN 

Exactly!  And  you  can't  forget  that  his  wife  is  a 
Southern  woman  whose  dowry  was  in  Slaves,  and 
therefore  at  this  moment,  Grant  is  constructively  a 

slaveholder,  whose  slaves  I  have  not  freed 

[66] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

STEVENS 

I  protest 

LINCOLN 

It's  no  use — I  know  the  process  of  your  mind — I  can  see 
the  wheels  go  round  inside!  You  tell  me  that  the 
star  of  Grant  has  set  in  a  welter  of  blood  before 
Lee's  army.  I  do  not  believe  it.  I  know  that  miles 
of  hospital  barracks  are  the  witnesses  of  our  agony. 
I  know  that  every  city,  town  and  village  is  in  mourn- 
ing. From  these  stricken  homes  there  has  arisen  a 
storm  of  protest  against  the  new  leader  of  the 
army.  The  word  butcher  is  bandied  from  lip  to  lip. 
They  tell  me  thak  Grant  is  merely  a  bulldog  fighter 
— that  he  can  win  only  as  long  as  thousands  are 
poured  into  his  ranks  to  take  the  place  of  the  dead — 
They  tell  me  that  he  has  no  genius,  no  strategy, 
no  skill.  My  reply  to  this  is  simple  but  unanswer- 
able. We  must  fight  to  win.  Grant  is  the  ablest 
general  we  have  developed.  His  losses  are  appalling 
— but  the  struggle  is  on  now  to  the  bitter  end !  Our 
resources  are  exhaustless.  The  South  cannot  re- 
place her  fallen  soldiers — and  therefore  her  losses 
are  fatal !  If  we  continue  to  fight,  five  millions  can- 
not whip  twenty  millions — the  end  is  certain — and 
we're  now  locked  in  the  last  death  grapple  before — 
VICTORY ! 

STEVENS 

It's  a  waste  of  time  to  talk ! 

LINCOLN 

I've  thought  so  from  the  first,  but  I've  tried  to  be 
polite-- — 

[67} 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

STEVENS 
[Trying  to  go.} 

Good  day,  sir ! 

LINCOLN 
[Cordially,'] 

Good  day,  Stevens 

[Pauses.] 
You  know  this  meeting  reminds  me  of  what  happened  in 

Illinois  once 

STEVENS 

[Throwing  up  his  hands  in  anger.'] 
I  won't  hear  it,  sir!     You  and  your  stories  are  sending 
this  country  to  hell — it's  not  more  than  a  mile  from 
there  now! 

LINCOLN 

I  believe  it  is  just  a  mile  from  here  to  the  Capitol  where 
you  sit! 

STEVENS 
[Going  in  rage.~\ 
Damnation ! 

[STEVENS  goes  muttering  furiously."] 

RAYMOND 
You  will  consider  our  request,  Mr.  President? 

LINCOLN 

Raymond,  this  is  the  most  brutal  insult  ever  offered  to  a 
man  in  my  position  in  the  history  of  this  country. 
I'm  going  to  waive  the  insult  and  give  your  request 
my  earnest  thought.  If  I  can  save  the  Union — 
that's  the  only  question — that's  the  only  question! 

RAYMOND 

You  will  give  us  your  answer  to-day? 

[68] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Firmly.  ] 

No.  I  must  have  time  to  think.  As  I've  listened  to  you, 
the  conviction  grows  on  me  that  the  life  of  the  Union 
may  be  bound  with  mine  now,  and  I'm  not  going  to 
give  up — without  a  fight. 

RAYMOND 
[Brusquely.] 

We  cannot  leave  Washington  without  your  answer,  Mr. 
President. 

LINCOLN 
You'll  get  it  in  due  time. 

RAYMOND 
The  time  is  short 

LINCOLN 
It  may  be  long  enough  yet,  to  save  the  Nation 


RAYMOND 

[Firmly.'] 

The  Committee  must  take  definite  action  before  we  leave 
— we  will  give  you  ten  days  to  decide 

LINCOLN 
I  understand.     Good  day,  gentlemen! 

ALL 

[Bowing  out.] 
Good  day,  Mr.  President. 

[LINCOLN    stands    erect,    with    NICOLAY    watching 
them  go  in  silence.     When  the  last  man  is  gone, 
he  turns  to  NICOLAY.] 
[69] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
It's  infamous,  John !     Infamous  ! 

[MRS.  LINCOLN  enters  hurriedly.] 

Don't  tell  her  the  nasty  things  old  Thad  said  to  me.  It 
will  hurt  her. 

NICOLAY 
Of  course  not. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Tensely.] 
What  is  it,  Father — what  did  they  say? 

[He  pauses  and  she  presses  him  tremblingly,] 
What  did  they  say?    What  did  they  say? 

LINCOLN 

[With  dreamy  look.] 

They  told  me  in  plain  English  that  I  am  the  most  un- 
popular man  in  the  United  States — that  my  conduct 
of  the  war  is  a  series  of  blunders,  my  administration 
a  failure ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Relieved.] 
Oh !— is  that  all ! 

LINCOLN 

What  more ? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
I  thought  they  had  something  important  to  tell  you 

LINCOLN 
[Laughs.] 

Oh! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

That  is  of  no  importance,  because  it's  a  lie 

[70] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

But,  if  they  believe  it,  and  millions  of  people  believe 
it  - 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Well,  they  won't.  I've  something  important  to  ask  of 
you  —  Betty  Winter's  in  my  room  and  wants  to  bring 
her  lover  here  to  see  you  alone  for  an  hour  to- 
night - 

LINCOLN 

I'll  see  Miss  Betty  Winter  any  time  —  she  is  my  good 
friend  —  make  it  nine  o'clock. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 


At  nine  —  don't  forget  now! 

LINCOLN 
I'll  not  - 


[MRS.  LINCOLN  exits.  ~\ 
John,  is  General  McClellan  at  home? 

NICOLAY 
I  saw  him  to-day,  sir. 

LINCOLN 

Go  to  his  house  immediately  and  tell  him  I  want  to  see 
him  here  at  eight  o'clock  to-night.  Say  that  it's  a 
matter  of  the  gravest  importance  —  both  to  him  and 
to  the  country  —  he  can't  refuse. 

NICOLAY 
Yes,  sir. 

LINCOLN 

Say  to  General  McClellan  that  I  would  come  to  him  but 
for  the  fact  that  it  would  attract  attention  which  I 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

wish  to  avoid.  It  will  be  the  best  for  both  that  this 
meeting  should  not  be  known.  Ask  him  to  come  in  a 
closed  carriage.  Assure  him  that  you  will  meet  him 
at  the  door  and  he  will  see  no  one  but  me 

NICOLAY 
You  can't  take  me  into  your  confidence,  Chief? 

LINCOLN 
[Pauses.] 

Partly — I'm  going  to  put  McClellan  to  the  supreme  test, 
John.  If  he  will  make  me  one  pledge  on  the  Cop- 
perhead issue  which  I  will  ask  of  him,  I'll  name  for 
this  Committee  a  candidate  they're  not  looking  for — 
I'll  give  them  the  surprise  of  their  life — so  help  me 
God! 

NICOLAY 

I  don't  think  the  General  will  give  that  pledge,  sir. 

LINCOLN 
[Casing  upward  and  folding  his  arms.'] 

I  wonder! — I  wonder  if  he  will! 
[ NICOLAY  exits."] 

I  wonder  if  he  will 


CURTAIN 


ACT  II 

SET  SCENE:  The  same  as  Act  I  at  a  quarter  to  eight 
the  same  evening, 

AT  RISE  :  EDWARD,  the  old  Doorman  is  straightening  the 
furniture  in  the  room.  He  clumsily  clears  the  Ho  or 
of  a  litter  of  letters  and  places  them  in  the  corner 
with  the  unopened  bag.  He  draws  the  heavy 
draperies  of  the  windows  and  adjusts  them  so  that 
no  ray  of  light  can  reach  the  outside.  MRS.  LINCOLN 
enters  and  watches  him  fix  the  draperies. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Speaking  suddenly.] 

Edward ! 

EDWARD 

[lumping  in  fright.] 
Yes,  Madam! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
What  on  earth  are  you  doing  in  here ? 

EDWARD 

[In  terror  of  MRS.  LINCOLN.] 
Just — er  drawin' — er  the  curtains,  Madam. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Sternly.'] 

These  curtains  haven't  been  drawn  in  a  year 

[73] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

EDWARD 
[Stammering.  ] 
I-don't-think-they-have-either 


MRS.  LINCOLN 
You  know  they  haven't! 

EDWARD 
[Gulping  wind.'] 

Yes'm 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Who  told  you  to  draw  them? 

EDWARD 
Colonel  Nicolay! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Where  is  he? 

EDWARD 
Down-stairs,  on  the  door. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
In  your  place? 

EDWARD 
Yes'm 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
While  you're  up  here  acting  as  house  maid? 

EDWARD 
[Embarrassed.  ] 
Well,  so  it  seems,  Madam 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Sternly.'] 
What  does  this  mean? 

[74] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

EDWARD 
I  do  not  know,  Madam 


MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Sarcastically.'] 
And  you  haven't  the  slightest  idea — I  suppose? 

EDWARD 

Not  the  slightest.  My  experience  as  Doorman  of  the 
White  House  has  taught  me  that  my  first  duty  is  to 
obey  the  orders  of  my  Chief 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Mr.  Lincoln  asked  you  to  remain  on  duty  here  to-night? 

EDWARD 
[Bows'] 

Asked  me  as  a  particular  personal  favor  to  him,  that  I 
remain  on  duty  until  eight  o'clock  and  dismiss  all 
the  other  White  House  attendants 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
The  guard  has  been  dismissed ! 

EDWARD 
Yes,  Madam,  both  of  them — inside  and  out. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Ask  Colonel  Nicolay  to  come  here 

EDWARD 
[Hesitates.~\ 

Yes'm 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Sharply.'} 
Quick ! 

[751 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

EDWARD 
[Jumps.] 
Right  away,  Madam! 

[MRS.  LINCOLN  quickly  examines  the  ^President's 
desk,  looking  for  a  memorandum  of  his  appoint- 
ments— she  finds  a  pad  and  reads] 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

At  eight  o'clock 

At  nine  o'clock — Miss  Betty  Winter 

[NicoLAY  enters  hurriedly] 

NICOLAY 
What  is  it,  Madam? 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Who  has  this  mysterious  appointment  with  the  President 
at  eight  o'clock — the  name  is  blank. 

NICOLAY 
I  am  forbidden  to  discuss  it  with  any  one. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Angrily] 
Indeed ! 

NICOLAY 
I  am  sorry. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Do  you  know  who  is  coming? 

NICOLAY 

Yes 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Do  you  know  the  subject  for  discussion  at  this  meeting? 

[76] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

I  wish  to  God  I  did 


[LINCOLN  enters  and  glances  at  His  wife  in  sur- 
prise.] 

LINCOLN 
Will  you  go  back  to  the  door,  John 

NICOLAY 

At  once — sir 

LINCOLN 

And  tell  Edward  I'm  much  obliged  to  him  for  staying, 
but  he  can  go  now 

NICOLAY 

Yes,  sir 

LINCOLN 

See  that  he  goes  before  our  visitor  arrives.    I  have  asked 
him  to  say  nothing  about  this  appointment. 

NICOLAY 

You  can  trust  him  implicitly,  sir 

[NICOLAY  exits.'] 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
But,  you  can't  trust  your  wife,  to-night,  it  seems 

LINCOLN 
[Whimsically."] 
Well,  you  know  you're  a  woman,  Mother 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Angrily] 

Thank  God 

[77] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
Amen !    So  say  I ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
You're  afraid  to  tell  me — who  this  man  is ? 

LINCOLN 
I  may  tell  you  to-morrow 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
When — you*  ve-made-some-  fatal-blunder 

LINCOLN 
I'll  make  no  mistake  this  time 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
Then  why  are  you  afraid  of  my  woman's  intuition- 

LINCOLN 
[Smiling."] 
I'm  not  afraid  of  your  intuition.  Mother 


MRS.  LINCOLN 
Thank  you. 

LINCOLN 

I  didn't  say  it! 

[Laughs. 1 
— But  you  know  you  do  talk  too  much  sometimes ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Angrily.] 

And  I'm  going  to  say  something  to  you  now.    I  thought 
this  morning  that  you  would  treat  those  scoundrels 
with  the  contempt  they  deserve  when  they  dared  to 
[78] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

ask  you  to  sacrifice  yourself  and  the  cause  of  the 
Union  to  the  ambitions  of  some  traitor  behind  them. 

LINCOLN 
No !  No !  They're  honest  in  what  they  say 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[Furious.'] 

You're  too  good  and  simple  for  this  world!  Don't  you 
know  that  some  schemer  is  behind  all  this ? 

LINCOLN 

Maybe It's  not  a  crime,  Mother,  for  a  man  to  aspire 

to  high  office,  if  the  bee's  in  his  bonnet.    You  know 
I've  felt  it  tickle  me  lots  of  times 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Don't — don't — don't  say  such  foolish  things.  You  need 
a  guardian.  You  kept  three  men  in  your  Cabinet 
who  used  their  position  to  try  to  climb  into  the 
Presidency  over  your  head.  And  you  didn't  kick 
them  out. 

LINCOLN 
The  country  needed  them. 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
[With  earnest  dignity.] 

The  country  needs  you — you  are  the  man,  and  the  only 
man  who  has  the  simple  common  sense  to  save  this 
Union  first,  and  settle  all  other  questions  after- 
wards  

LINCOLN 
That  may  be  so — too 

[79] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

Tell  me  one  thing — is  the  man  who  has  this  appointment 
at  eight  the  traitor  whom  Raymond's  Committee  is 
trying  to  put  in  your  place ? 

LINCOLN 

No!  Yet — if  there  is  anywhere  a  better  man  who  can 
render  the  country  a  greater  service  than  I  can,  he 
ought  to  be  in  my  place 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

But  don't  you  see  that  it  isn't  really  the  man  who  can 
give  the  greater  service  who  will  win  in  such  a 
treacherous  fight?  It's  the  liar  and  the  hypocrite 
who  may  win. 

LINCOLN 

I  have  no  right  in  such  an  hour  to  think  of  my  own 
ambitions.  My  personal  desire  for  a  second  term  is 

the  biggest  thing  in  my  life,  God  knows 

[He  pauses  as  his  voice  breaks — he  struggles  a  mo- 
ment and  lifts  his  hand  as  if  to  throw  off  an 
obsession  with  a  determined  smile.} 
And  yet,  my  personal  desire  is  a  petty  thing!    My  duty 
to-day  is  the  biggest  thing  in  the  world! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

You  won't  take  my  advice  and  send  these  men  about 
their  business  ? 

LINCOLN 
Mary,  I've  got  to  fight  this  thing  out  alone,  with  myself 

and  God 

MRS.  LINCOLN 

I  sometimes  think,  Father,  that  you're  the  stubbornest 
man  the  Lord  ever  made ! 
[80] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

I've  got  to  be — to  do  this  job 

[MRS.  LINCOLN  exits.] 

[LINCOLN  paces  the  floor  with  his  arms  locked  be- 
hind him  in  tense  thought."] 

[NicoLAY  enters.] 

NICOLAY 
The  carriage  is  approaching,  sir. 

LINCOLN 
The  coast  is  clear  ? 

NICOLAY 

Yes.    Edward  has  gone 

[He  pauses.] 

You,  of  course,  realize,  Chief,  the  importance  of  a  cool 
head  in  dealing  with  McClellan 

LINCOLN 
I  won't  lose  my  temper,  John. 

NICOLAY 
McClellan  may  lose  his 

LINCOLN 

I'll  watch  out 

[Looking  over  his  desk] 

That  report  of  Baker's  on  the  Copperhead  Societies 

NICOLAY 
[Pointing] 
Under  that  paper  weight,  sir 

LINCOLN 

Oh,  yes,  I  see 

[81] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

[Picks  up  report,  glances  at  it,  and  lays  it  back  on 

his  desk.] 

I'm  ready — bring  him  in.  See  that  we  are  not  inter- 
rupted, and  when  he  goes,  I'll  not  need  you  any  more 
to-night.  I'll  let  in  the  young  people  myself,  at  nine 
o'clock. 

NICOLAY 
Yes,  sir. 

[NICOLAY  exits  and  LINCOLN  returns  to  his  desk  and 
writes.'] 

[NICOLAY  enters  with  GENERAL  MCCLELLAN.  The 
General  is  thirty-eight  years  old,  dressed  in  a 
uniform  of  immaculate  cut,  flashing  with  gold. 
While  his  figure  is  short  and  stocky,  in  striking 
contrast  to  the  President,  he  is  a  man  of  com- 
manding appearance,  and  gives  one  the  impression 
of  a  born  leader  of  men.  He  enters  with  quick 
military  precision  and  salutes  with  studied  for- 
mality the  President  as  his  superior  officer. 
The  President  answers  his  salute,  as  NICOLAY 
exits.] 

LINCOLN 

I  suggest,  General  McClellan,  fhat  we  forget  for  the 
moment  that  I  am  the  Commander  in  Chief  of  the 
Army  and  Navy — and  we  have  a  little  heart  to  heart 
talk  in  a  perfectly  informal  way 

McCLELLAN 

[Stiffening.] 

May  I  enquire,  Mr.  President,  at  once,  to  what  I  owe 
this  extraordinary  summons? 
[82] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Cordially.] 
Will  you  be  seated,  General ? 


McCLELLAN 

Thank  you,  I  prefer  to  stand. 

[Angrily.] 
What  right  have  yow  to  send  for  me  or  ask  anything, 

after  the  foul  injustice  with  which  you  have  treated 

me  as  Commanding  General 

LINCOLN 
[Interrupting.'] 

Just  a  moment — I  have  not  treated  you  with  injustice — 
I  have  treated  you  with  more  than  justice.  I  have 
treated  you  with  the  generous  faith  and  love  of  a 
father  for  a  wayward  boy 

McCLELLAN 

Really! 

LINCOLN 

I  have.  When  I  appointed  you  to  the  chief  command  of 
our  Army,  yo"u  were  but  thirty-four  years  old.  I 
did  it  against  the  bitterest  opposition  of  my  party 
leaders.  They  told  me  you  were  a  pro-Slavery 
Democrat — a  political  meddler,  and  that  you  were 
opposed  to  me  on  every  issue  before  the  people.  I 
refused  to  listen.  I  asked  but  one  question:  Is 
McClellan  the  man  to  whip  the  new  army  into  a 
mighty  fighting,  machine,  and  hurl  it  against  the 
Confederacy?  I  said  to  them:  "I  don't  care  what 
his  religion  is,  or  his  politics  may  be.  The  question 
[83] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

is,  not  whether  I  shall  save  the  Union — but  that  the 
Union  shall  be  saved.  My  future  and  the  future  of 
my  party  can  take  care  of  themselves" — and  I  ap- 
pointed you. 

McCLELLAN 

And  forced  me  to  march  against  Richmond  before  I  was 
ready ! 

LINCOLN 

I  ordered  you  to  move,  because  it  was  necessary  to  fore- 
stall a  great  tragedy.  Your  army  of  180,000  men 
had  gone  into  winter  quarters  around  a  glittering 
camp  over  which  a  young  Napoleon  presided.  Fools 
about  you  daily  advised  that  you  proclaim  the  end 
of  the  Republic  and  establish  yourself  as  Dictator. 
You  do  not  deny  this ? 

McCLELLAN 

No.  The  fact  is  well  known.  Besides,  Stanton,  your 
Secretary  of  War,  was  at  that  time  my  attorney, 

and  he  knew 

LINCOLN 

Exactly.  I  took  the  bull  by  the  horns  and  ordered  your 
grand  army  to  move  on  Richmond.  When  you  failed 
and  retreated,  I  refused  to  dismiss  you  against  the 
fierce  protest  of  my  Cabinet.  I  left  you  in  command 
of  half  our  men  and  appointed  General  Pope  to 
lead  the  other  half. 

McCLELLAN 

[Sneeringly.'] 
And  he  led  them  to  overwhelming  disaster  at  the  second 

battle  of  Manassas 

[84] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Quickly.'] 

For  which  disaster,  you  must  share  the  blame.  You 
were  ordered  to  join  Pope.  You  didn't  move.  Pope 
was  broken  by  a  deliberate  design,  that  was  little 
short  of  treason,  sir.  But  instead  of  agreeing  to  the 
demand  for  your  trial  by  court  martial,  I  did  the 
most  unpopular  act  of  my  life.  I  reappointed  you 
to  the  chief  command  of  the  whole  army — defied 
public  opinion,  and  faced  a  storm  of  abuse  in  my 
party  councils. 

McCLELLAN 

And  when  I  led  that  superb,  reorganized  army  to  our  first 
victory  at  Antietam,  you  removed  me  from  my  com- 
mand before  I  could  win  my  campaign. 

LINCOLN 

I  removed  you  from  your  command  because,  after  you 
had  cut  Lee's  army  to  pieces,  and  he  had  but  23,000 
men  left,  and  you  had  75,000 — three  to  one — you  lay 
down  on  your  arms  and  allowed  Lee  to  escape 
across  the  river  without  a  blow — while  Jeb.  Stuart 
with  his  cavalry  once  more  insulted  you  by  riding 
around  your  army.  Come  now,  can't  we  leave  to 
posterity  to  settle  the  merits  of  our  controversy  over 
the  command  of  armies?  Can't  you  believe  me  to- 
day, when  I  tell  you  with  God  as  my  witness,  that  I 
have  never  allowed  a  personal  motive  to  enter  into 
a  single  appointment  or  removal  which  I  have 
made ? 

McCLELLAN 

I  cannot  believe  it 

[85] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

In  spite  of  the  fact  that  when  I  reappointed  you  to  the 
chief  command  of  the  army  after  the  disaster  to 
Pope,  you  thought  that  my  messenger  was  an  officer 
with  a  warrant  for  your  arrest!  You  still  say 

McCLELLAN 

I  still  say  no — you  had  to  do  it — and  you  know  that  you 
had  to  reappoint  me. 

LINCOLN 

Well,  I'll  not  pretend  that  I  didn't  understand  the  seri- 
ousness of  that  hour.  The  Army  was  behind  you, 
to  a  man!  I  sounded  the  officers,  I  sounded  the 
men.  They  were  against  me  and  with  you.  If  the 
leaders  had  dared  risk  their  necks  on  a  revolution, 
they  might  have  won  and  set  up  a  Dictatorship ! 

McCLELLAN 

Just  so! 

LINCOLN 

This  power  over  men  which  you  possess,  General  Mc- 
Clellan,  is  a  marvelous  thing.  It  is  a  dangerous 
force.  It  can  be  used  to  create  a  Nation,  or  destroy 
one.  Because  you  held  this  power  over  your  men,  I 
honestly  believed  you  were  the  ablest  General  in 
sight,  and  I  called  you  back  to  your  high  position. 

McCLELLAN 

[With  a  smile. ~\ 
Very  kind ! 

LINCOLN 

,You  had  to  win  or  lose  at  Antietam.    If  you  had  won  I 
was  vindicated,  and  your  success  would  have  been 
[86] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

mine!  But  when  Lee's  army  escaped,  you  lost  the 
power  over  the  imagination  of  your  men,  the  threat 
of  a  Dictatorship  had  passed — the  supremacy  of  the 
civil  government  was  restored,  and  I  removed  you 
from  command 

McCLELLAN 

[Angrily.'] 
I  repeat  that  your  act  was  one  of  foul  injustice ! 

LINCOLN 
[Cordially."] 

All  right  then.  I've  given  you  my  side.  Granted  for  the 
sake  of  argument  that  I  have  treated  you  unfairly, 
I'm  going  to  put  you  to  a  supreme  test.  I  am  going 
to  propose,  on  a  certain  condition,  to  the  man  whom 
I  have  wronged,  an  amazing  thing 

McCLELLAN 

Hence  the  secrecy  with  which  I  am  summoned ! 

LINCOLN 

Yes.    I  have  just  written  out  on  this  sheet  of  paper 

[Takes  up  the  sheet. ~\ 

and  addressed  to  Henry  Raymond,  Chairman  of  our 
National  Committee,  my  resignation  as  a  Candidate 
for  the  Presidency  for  a  second  term — and  I  will 
give  it  to  him  to-night,  if  you  will  agree  to  take  my 
place  and  save  the  Union  ? 

McCLELLAN 

[Overwhelmed  with  excitement."] 
What-can-you-mean ? 

[87] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
Exactly  what  I've  said. 

McCLELLAN 

[Paces  the  floor  trembling.] 
And  your  conditions ? 

LINCOLN 

Very  simple.  Agree  to  preside  to-morrow  night  at  a 
great  Democratic  Union  Mass  Meeting  in  New 
York,  and  boldly  put  yourself  at  the  head  of  that 
wing  of  your  party  which  stands  for  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  Union 

McCLELLAN 

And  you ? 

LINCOLN 

I  will  withdraw  from  the  race,  secure  your  endorsement, 
or  prevent  my  party  from  naming  a  successor,  take 
the  stump  for  you  and  guarantee  your  election. 

McCLELLAN 

[Studies  LINCOLN  a  moment  with  suspicion.] 
You  are  in  earnest ? 

LINCOLN 
I  was  never  more  so. 

McCLELLAN 

And  there  is  no  string  to  this  offer? 

LINCOLN 

On  my  word  of  honor 

[Dreamily.] 

It  is  needless  for  me  to  say  that  I  came  into  this  office 
with  high  ambitions  to  serve  my  country.    My  dream 
[88] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 


[He  pauses,  breathes  deeply,  and  struggles  with  his 
emotions,  recovers  himself,  and  goes  on  wist- 
fully.'] 

I  did  want  a  chance  to  stay  here  for  another  term  to 
see  the  sun  shine  again,  to  heal  my  country's 
wounds,  and  show  all  the  people,  North,  South,  East 
and  West,  that  I  love  them.  But  I  can't  risk  the 
chances  of  this  election — if  you  and  I  can  come 
to  a  perfect  understanding,  and  you  agree  to  take 
my  place  upon  the  solemn  pledge  to  save  the  Union 
without  division.  I've  made  up  my  mind  to  this, 
because  I  have  on  my  desk  here  a  report  from  our 

Secret  Service 

[Pauses  and  picks  up  the  report.] 
showing  that  the  Copperhead  Societies  are  of  your 
party  and  are  thoroughly  organized  in  every  state  of 
the  North — that  they  demand  an  immediate  peace 
and  will  accept  a  division  of  the  Union 

McCLELLAN 

[Interrup  ting.  ] 
What  has  this  to  do  with  me,  may  I  ask ? 

LINCOLN 
[Evenly. .] 

This  report  shows  that  they  propose  to  end  the  war  on 
the  night  of  the  election  by  a  revolutionary  upris- 
ing which  will  result  in  the  recognition  of  the  Con- 
federacy. I  am  now  being  urged  to  arrest  their 
leaders. 

[He  pauses  and  watches  MCCLELLAN  closely.'] 
[89] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

I  shall  answer  no.  Let  sleepings  dogs  He.  One  revo- 
lution at  a  time.  If  the  Union  candidate  wins  tke 
election,  they  won't  dare  to  rise.  If  he  loses,  it's  all 
over  anyhow — and  it  makes  no  difference  what  they 
do. 

McCLELLAN 

A  sensible  decision 

LINCOLN 

I'm  glad  you  agree  with  it.  Now  the  Democratic  Con- 
vention meets  in  Chicago  next  week — you  have  no 
opposition.  Your  nomination  will  be  unanimous. 
The  question  is, — what  will  they  do  on  the  issue  of 
the  war?  The  leaders  of  the  Copperhead  Societies 
are  now  in  touch  with  the  rebel  government  in  Rich- 
mond  

McCLELLAN 

That's  a  large  statement,  sir — even  about  Copperhead  So- 
cieties  

LINCOLN 

I  have  the  proofs  in  this  document 

[Touches  BAKER'S  report.] 

My  fear  is,  that  they  may  get  complete  control  of  your 
Convention 

McCLELLAN 

[Angrily. ] 

Indeed ? 

LINCOLN 
I  have  heard  the  ugly  rumor  that  they  are  counting  on 

you 

McCLELLAN 

[Advancing.'} 

Stop ! 

[90] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Going  to  meet  MCCLELLAN  and  holding  his  gaze 

firmly. ] 
Well ? 

McCLELLAN 

No  man  can  couple  the  word  Treason  with  my  name, 

sir ! 

LINCOLN 
Have  I  done  so ? 

McCLELLAN 

You  are  insinuating  it ! 

LINCOLN 
Am  I? 

McCLELLAN 

I  demand  a  retraction! 

LINCOLN 
[Smiling.'} 

Then,  I  apologize  for  my  careless  expressions.  I  am 
glad  to  see  you  meet  the  ugly  subject  in  this  way! 
I  have  never  believed  you  a  traitor  to  the  Union. 
That's  why  I  sent  for  you  to-night.  Will  you  de- 
nounce these  men  publicly  at  a  Union  Mass  Meeting, 
and  let  me  resign  and  take  the  stump  for  you ? 

McCLELLAN 

[Hesitates.'} 
I  am  sure  of  this  election  without  your  help,  sir! 

LINCOLN 
You  can't  be 

McCLELLAN 

A  straw  vote  was  taken  yesterday  in  the  Carver  Hos- 
pital. The  wounded  soldiers  gave  me  three  votes  to 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

your  one.  Straws  show  which  way  the  wind  is 
blowing.  I  know  that  your  party  is  divided — that 
John  C.  Fremont  has  split  your  organization,  and 
is  daily  gaining  ground — that  unless  he  retires,  you 
can't  be  elected!  Your  party  is  in  a  hopeless 
panic — and  my  election  is  conceded.  Yet,  you  ask 
me  allow  you  to  dictate  the  policy  of  my  administra- 
tion! 

LINCOLN 

[Evenly  and  pressingly.~\ 

Will  you  denounce  these  conspirators  within  your 
party ? 

McCLELLAN 

No !  When  I  need  your  advice  on  any  public  utter- 
ance, I'll  let  you  know. 

LINCOLN 
Will  you  preside  over  this  Union  Meeting? 

McCLELLAN 

[Firmly.'} 

Never!  I'll  do  my  best  to  save  my  country,  but  in  my 
own  way  without  suggestion  or  assistance  from 
you LINCOLN 

[With  firm  conviction.'} 

Then,  sir,  you  are  committed  by  your  pledges  to  the 
possible  division  of  this  Union !    I  suspected  it — but 
I  had  hoped  for  the  best — good  night! 
[The  General  bows  stiffly  and  leaves  the  President 
standing  in  sorrowful  silence,  his  deep  eyes  staring 
into  space,  seeing  nothing  as  NICOLAY  enters.] 
[Pausing,  and  looking  up.~\ 

I  thought  you'd  gone ? 

[92] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

I  hope  there  may  be  something  else  I  can  do  for  you, 

sir ? 

LINCOLN 
Yes — there  is 

NlCOLAY 

What? 

LINCOLN 
Bear  witness  with  me  to  this,  the  blackest  hour  of  my 

life — I  have  touched  the  depths  of  despair 

[Springs  to  his  feet.~\ 
But  I  can't  give  up — there's  too  much  at  stake ! 

NlCOLAY 

Corruption,  intrigue  and  malice  are  doing  their  work, 
Chief — but  you  can't  be  beaten !  Unless  you  should 
give  up ! 

LINCOLN 

Well!    I  won't  give  up! 

NlCOLAY 

McClellan  refused  the  pledge  you  asked? 

LINCOLN 

Yes.  He  is  bound  hand  and  foot  to  the  Copperhead 
leaders  who  will  control  his  convention 

NlCOLAY 

I  thought  so 

LINCOLN 
John,  if  I  could  win  one  man  out  of  the  inner  councils 

of   the    Copperhead    orders — one   man   who    really 

loves  his  country 

[93] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

Can  a  Copperhead  love  his  country ? 

LINCOLN 

Why  not ?    A  rattlesnake  might  love  his  own  fence 

corner!  There  are  plenty  of  honest  misguided  men 
among  them.  I  have  been  studying  Baker's  report 

this  afternoon If  I  could  just  get  hold  of  one 

Copperhead  who  knows  the  signs  and  passwords  of 
their  inner  council,  I've  worked  out  A  PLAN 
THAT  CAN  WIN  THIS  FIGHT! 

NlCOLAY 

[Suddenly.'} 
The  very  man  may  be  on  the  way  here  at  this  moment ! 

LINCOLN 
[Eagerly.'] 
What's  that ? 

NlCOLAY 

[Thinking.'} 

Miss  Winter  is  due  here  with  her  lover — a  young  Cap- 
tain of  Grant's  Army 

[Pauses.} 

LINCOLN 

Well ? 

NlCOLAY 

[Slowly.} 

In  view  of  the  attempts  to  take  your  life — I  made  some 
inquiries    to-day    about    him — I    knew    the    White 

House  would  be  without  guards  to-night 

[Pauses.} 

[94] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
Yes — yes — go  on !    What  about  him? 

NICOLAY 
He  was  on  McClellan's  staff  at  one  time > 

LINCOLN 
That's  promising ! 

NICOLAY 
He's  a  McClellan  man — then 


LINCOLN 
Beyond  a  doubt 

NICOLAY 

In  the  hospital  the  past  two  months  he  has  heard  a  lot 
of  bitter  talk 

LINCOLN 
[Quickly."] 

And  may  have  joined  The  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle ! 

NICOLAY 
It's  almost  a  certainty 

LINCOLN 

Of  course.  Their  infernal  agents  haunt  our  hospitals 
daily,  and  pour  their  poison  into  every  open 
wound 

NICOLAY 
Prove  to  this  boy  to-night  that  these  men  are  liars 

[951 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
If  he'll  listen 

NlCOLAY 

He's  got  to  listen!     He  comes  to  ask  of  you  a  great 

favor 

LINCOLN 
I  wonder  what? 

NlCOLAY 

I  couldn't  find  out.  But  you  can  use  the  opportunity  to 
gain  his  confidence.  He  is  engaged  to  a  girl  who  is 
Mrs.  Lincoln's  intimate  friend — a  girl  who  admires 
and  trusts  you.  You  can  win  him,  Chief,  if  you 
only  try ! 

LINCOLN 
[With  excited  emphasis.'] 

Don't  you  worry — I'm  going  to  try ! 

[Pauses.'] 

— You  wait  and  show  them  in.  I'll  report  to  Mother 
my  talk  with  McClellan.  She'll  be  uneasy  about  it. 
I'll  be  back  in  a  minute 

NlCOLAY 

All  right,  sir. 

[LINCOLN  exits."] 

[NICOLAY   watches   him   go   with    deep   sympathy, 
shaking  his  head  as  BETTY  and  VAUGHAN  enter. ,"" 

NICOLAY 

Oh,  Miss  Winter 

BETTY 

Captain  Vaughan, — Colonel  Nicolay 

[96] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

[Studying  VAUGHAN.] 

Pleased  to  meet  you,  Captain — the  President  will  be 
back  in  a  moment.  He  has  just  stepped  in  to  speak 
to  Mrs.  Lincoln.  He  is  expecting  you — make  your- 
selves at  home 

BETTY 

Thank  you,  Colonel 

[NicoLAY  exits.] 
What's  the  matter,  dear ? 


VAUGHAN 
Nothing — nothing 

BETTY 

But  your  arm  is  trembling 1  didn't  realize  you're  so 

weak — I  keep  forgetting  that  you're  just  out  of  the 

hospital 

VAUGHAN 

Oh— I'm  all  right 

BETTY 

I'm  afraid  of  the  strain  of  this  interview ! 

[Pauses.  ] 

— You've  never  told  me,  dear — for  what  was  your  father 
imprisoned  ? 

VAUGHAN 
[Deliberately.] 

He  made  a  speech  against  the  war  in  our  town  in  Mis- 
souri and  printed  it  in  a  pamphlet 

BETTY 

Oh — for  making  and  circulating  seditious  writing 

[971 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 

Technically,  yes — in  reality  for  exercising  the  right  of 
free  speech  on  a  policy  of  the  government 

BETTY 

It  may  be  very  serious 

[Pauses.] 

— I've  an  idea !    Let  me  stay  and  help  you 


VAUGHAN 
But  I  may  have  something  to  say  that  a  girl's  ears  should 

not  hear 

BETTY 

Please  don't  say  it!     You  differ  with  the  President  in 
politics.    You  must  say  nothing  to  offend  him 

VAUGHAN 

I'll  not !    I  think  I  love  my  country  as  well  as  I  love 

my  father 

BETTY 
Let  me  stay ! 

VAUGHAN 
You  mustn't — I  don't  need  a  chaperone 

BETTY 
But  you  may  need  a  friend 


VAUGHAN 
[Bitterly.] 
He  does  wield  a  terrible  power,  doesn't  he? 

BETTY 

Yes — with  the  tenderness  and  love  of  a  father- 

[98] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 
[Lightly.'] 

All  right,  dear,  run  along  now,  see  Mrs.  Lincoln  and 
get  the  President  to  come 

BETTY 
Can't  I  stay  and  help  you ? 

VAUGHAN 

No,  no 

BETTY 

It  means  so  much  to  me  now ! 

[She  nestles  in  his  arms  and  VAUGHAN  kisses  her.'] 

VAUGHAN 
I'll  know  how  to  plead  my  cause 

BETTY 

All  right — good  luck.    I'm  sure  you'll  win 

[BETTY  exits.'] 

[VAUGHAN  walks  to  the  door  leading  to  the  Lin- 
coln Apartments,  and  listens  a  moment,  and  walks 
to  the  President's  desk.  His  eye  rests  on  the 
worn  copy  of  the  Bible  which  LINCOLN  always 
kept  on  his  desk.  He  gazes  at  the  thumbed  pages 
in  amazement.'] 

VAUGHAN 

The  Bible— My  God ! 
{Turns  its  leaves.] 

And  every  page  thumbed ! 

[He  continues  to  turn  the  leaves  of  the  Bible.] 

[The  sound  of  LINCOLN'S  voice  is  heard   outside 
talking  to  M«s.  LINCOLN.] 
[99] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Outside."] 
Go  back,  and  talk  to  Miss  Betty ! 

[VAUGHAN  quickly  places  the  Bible  back  on  his  desk 
and  takes  his  stand  near  the  door  to  the  hall,  as 
if  he  had  just  entered.  LINCOLN  enters  -from  the 
other  door,  still  talking  to  his  wife  who  follows 
him.'] 

Don't  worry,  Mother!  Who  cares  for  a  few  old  dresses 
more  or  less  in  these  times !  But  if  I'd  known  they 
cost  that  much,  I'd  taken  a  second  look  at  them  and 
tried  to  get  my  money's  worth ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
You're  sure  it  won't  influence  your  decision? 

LINCOLN 

Not  a  bit!  If  we  stay  here — it'll  be  all  right.  We  can 
skimp  a  little.  If  we  don't  stay — the  old  sign  still 
swings  on  the  door  in  Springfield — Billy  Herndon's 
waiting  for  me  and  the  law  business  will  be  better 
than  ever.  Go  back  now,  and  don't  worry!  It's 

my  business  to  do  all  the  worrying 

[LINCOLN  closes  the  door  after  she  goes,  and  comes 
down  toward  the  desk,  lifts  his  haggard  eyes  in  a 
dazed  way  and  looks  about  the  room.  Anxiety 
and  suffering  again  mark  his  rugged  face.  He 
sees  VAUGHAN,  and  at  once  throws  off  the  spell 
of  his  troubles,  advances  to  meet  him  and  takes 
his  hand."] 

I'm  glad  to  see  you,  my  boy — Will  you  pull  up  a  chair? 
[LINCOLN    drops   zvearily   into    his   chair   and    his 
[100] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

voice   has   a   far-away  dreamy  expression  in  its 
tones  while  he  studies  VAUGHAN  carefully.] 
And  what  can  I  do  for  you? 

VAUGHAN 

My  name  is  Vaughan — the  elder  son  of  Dr.  Richard 
Vaughan  of  Palmyra,  Missouri 

LINCOLN 
[  Thoughfully.  ] 

Vaughan — Richard  Vaughan — I've  heard  that  name — 
But  you're  one  of  our  boys  fighting  with  Grant's 
army? 

VAUGHAN 

Yes 

LINCOLN 

[Looking  him  over.'] 
You've  been  very  ill,  I  see — wounded  of  course? 

VAUGHAN 

Yes 

LINCOLN 
[Rises,   takes  VAUGHAN'S  hands  in  both  his,  and 

presses  it.] 

There's  nothing  I  won't  do  for  one  of  our  wounded 
boys — if  I  can 


Thank  you- 
What  is  it? 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 

[With  cold  precision.'] 

My  mother  writes  me  that  my  father  has  been  arrested 
without  warrant,  is  held  in  prison  without  bail,  and 

denied  the  right  of  trial 

[He  pauses,  trembling  with  excitement.] 

LINCOLN 
Go  on — my  boy 

VAUGHAN 
I  have  come  to  ask  for  justice 


LINCOLN 

He  shall  have  it 

VAUGHAN 

I  ask  that  he  be  confronted  by  his  accusers  in  open  court 
and  given  a  fair  trial 

LINCOLN 
[Interrupting.'] 
For  what  was  he  arrested? 

VAUGHAN 

For  exercising  the  right  of  free  speech.     In  a  public 
address,  he  denounced  the  war 

LINCOLN 
Oh! — And  his  address  was  printed? 

[LINCOLN  picks  up  the  little  booklet  and  looks  again 
at  the  title  page  and  then  at  VAUGHAN.] 

VAUGHAN 

He  had  as  much  right  to  print  as  to  speak  it 

[102] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 


No,  he  hadn't 

[Pauses  and  looks  at  VAUGHAN.] 
You  say  your  father's  name  is  Richard  Vaughan- 


VAUGHAN 

Yes — Dr.  Richard  Vaughan — and  I  ask  for  him  a  fair 
trial  confronted  by  his  accusers — I  ask  for  justice — 

will  you  grant  him  this  trial ? 

[LINCOLN  lays  the  pamphlet  down  on  his  desk  and 
rises. ] 

LINCOLN 
[Shakes  his  head.'} 

I  cannot !    I  cannot  do  it! 

[He  folds  his  arms  behind  his  back  and  paces  the 
floor,  unconscious  of  the  glitter  of  murder  in 
VAUGHAN'S  eyes.  VAUGHAN  slowly  draws  his  re- 
volver and  is  about  to  lift  to  fire,  when  LINCOLN 
suddenly  turns  and  speaks.] 
[With  sharp  emphasis.'] 

That  little  pamphlet,  sir,  found  its  way  into  the  ranks 
and  caused  a  number  of  soldiers  to  desert 

VAUGHAN 
Who  says  this? 

LINCOLN 
I  happen  to  know  it! 

[LINCOLN    pauses    and    shakes    his    head    sorrow- 
fully.] 

You  see,  my  boy,  your  house  is  divided  against  itself — 

the  symbol  of  our  unhappy  country.     Of  course,  I 

didn't  know  of  this  particular  case.     Such  things 

hurt  me  so,  I  refuse  to  know  them  unless  I  must. 

[103] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

They  tell  me  that  Seward  and  Stanton  have  arrested 
without  warrant  and  hold  in  jail  more  than  thirty- 
five  thousand  men  at  this  moment.  I  hope  the  num- 
ber is  exaggerated — still  it  may  be  so 

VAUGHAN 
[Angrily.] 
It's  true — I've  learned  it  since  my  father's  arrest! 

LINCOLN 
[Tenderly.] 

But,  come  now,  my  son,  put  yourself  in  my  place !  I'm 
here  to  save  the  Union  for  which  you  are  fighting — 
for  which  you  have  poured  out  your  blood.  I've 
armed  two  million  men  and  we  are  spending  four 
millions  a  day,  to  fight  the  South  for  trying  to  se- 
cede. My  opponents,  taking  advantage  of  our  sor- 
row, harangue  the  people  and  elect  hostile  legisla- 
tures in  the  Northern  states.  They  were  about  to 
pass  ordinances  of  Secession  and  establish  a  North- 
western Confederacy!  Shall  I  fight  Secession  in 
the  South  and  merely  argue  with  it  here?  I  was 
compelled  to  suspend  the  civil  law,  arrest  these  men 
and  hold  them  without  bail  or  trial 

VAUGHAN 
You  are  using  the  naked  power  of  an  emperor  then? 

LINCOLN 

[Shaking  his  head  sadly.] 

I   have   been   entrusted    with   that   power    for   a   brief 

term  by  the  people.     I  am  using  it  sorrowfully  but 

firmly — and   I   am   backed  by   the  prayers   of  the 

mothers  whose  sons  are  dying  for  our  cause — and 

[104] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

the  silent  millions  out  there,  whom  I  can't  at  this 
moment  see — but  whom  I  love  and  trust. 

VAUGHAN 
[With  angry  tears.] 

The  Constitution  of  the  Republic  guarantees  to  every 
freeman  the  right  to  trial  in  open  court,  confronted 
by  his  accusers 

LINCOLN 
[Passionately.  ] 

But  we  are  fighting  a  war  for  the  life  of  the  Constitution 
itself !  I  did  not  begin  it.  Once  begun  it  must  be 
fought  to  the  end  and  the  Nation  saved.  We  must 
prove  now  that  among  freemen  there  can  be  no 
successful  appeal  from  the  ballot  to  the  bayonet. 
To  preserve  the  Constitution  of  the  Eepublic  I  must 
in  this  crisis  strain  some  of  its  provisions 

VAUGHAN 
[In  hard  tones.'} 

And  you  will  not  interfere  to  give  these  accused  men  a 
trial  ? 

LINCOLN 

I  dare  not  interfere !  The  civil  law  must  be  suspended 
for  the  moment — as  the  law  of  life  is  suspended 
while  the  surgeon  cuts  a  cancer  out  of  bleeding 
flesh!  I  cannot  shoot  one  soldier  for  desertion  if 
I  allow  the  man  to  go  free  who  causes  him  to  de- 
sert  

[He  pauses,   and  puts  his  hands   on  VAUGHAN'S 

shoulders.'] 

Don't  think,  my  son,  that  all  the  suffering  of  this  war 

[105] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

is  not  mine!  Every  shell  from  those  guns  finds  my 
heart.  The  tears  of  widows  and  orphans — all,  the 
blue  and  the  gray — ar.e  mine!  For  we  are  equally 
responsible  far  this  war!  When  I  came  here  from 
the  West,  I  found  a  panic-stricken  North,  strangling 
with  the  poison  of  Secession.  Our  fathers  had 
only  dreamed  a  Union — they  never  lived  to  see  it. 
The  North  had  threatened  Secession  for  thirty 
years.  Horace  Greeley  in  his  great  paper  on  the  day 
of  my  inauguration  was  telling  the  millions  who 
hung  on  his  word  as  the  oracle  from  Heaven,  that 
Secession  was  inevitable !  "Therefore  let  our  erring 
sisters  of  the  South  go !"  was  his  daily  cry.  I 
could  not  have  prevented  this  war,  nor  could  Jef- 
ferson Davis.  We  are  in  the  grip  of  mighty  forces 
sweeping  in  from  the  centuries.  We  are  fighting  the 

battle  of  the  ages 

[He  pauses  again.'] 

But  our  country's  worth  it,  my  boy,  if  we  can  only  save 
it !  Out  of  this  agony  will  be  born  a  united  people. 
There  has  never  been  a  democracy  in  this  world  be- 
cause there's  never  been  one  without  the  shadow 
of  a  slave.  We  must  build  a  real  Government  of 
the  people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people.  It's  not 
the  question  merely  of  four  million  black  slaves. 
It's  a  question  of  the  life  of  freemen  yet  unborn. 
I  hear  the  tread  of  these  coming  millions.  Their 
destiny  is  in  your  hands  and  mine.  A  mighty  Union 
of  free  democratic  states  without  a  slave — the  hope, 
refuge  and  inspiration  of  the  world — a  beacon  light 
on  the  shores  of  time! 
[Pauses.'} 

[106] 


A  MAN  OF  THE;  PEOPLE 

— There's  but  one  tragedy,  that  can  have  no  ray  of  light, 
and  that  is  that  this  blood  we  are  now  pouring 
out  shall  have  flowed  in  vam,  and  these  brave  men 
shall  die  for  naught,  that  the  old  curse  shall  remain, 
the  Union  be  broken  into  hostile  sections  and  these 
battles  must  be  fought  again. 

[He  pauses,  breathes  deeply,  and  lifts  his  figure  as 
if  to  throw  off  another  nightmare  and  slips  his 
arm  around  VAUGHAN.] 

My  enemies  call  me  a  tyrant  and  usurper !  I  who  came 
up  here  from  a  pioneer's  cabin  in  the  wilderness, 

out  of  rags  and  poverty 

[Pauses.'] 

— How  well  I  remember  when  my  mother  looked  at 
them  and  said — "This  is  nothing — it  doesn't  count 
here — it's  what  you  feel — it's  what  you  believe — 

it's  what  you  see  that  counts " 

[Struggles  with  his  emotions.'} 

Now  I'm  going  to  show  you  something,  my  son,  and  I'll 
let  you  be  the  judge  as  to  whether  I'm  a  tyrant — 
[He    takes    up     the    booklet    and    hands    it    to 
VAUGHAN.] 

Read  the  title  page. 

VAUGHAN 
[Reading  in  amazement.] 

"WHY  SHOULD  BROTHERS  FIGHT?"  By  Dr. 
Richard  Vaughan. 

LINCOLN 

That  pamphlet  was  taken  by  his  sister  from  the  pocket 
of  a  poor  ignorant  boy,  who  was  sentenced  to  be  shot 

for  desertion  to-morrow  at  sunrise 

[107] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 

No!    No! 

LINCOLN 

I  pardoned  him  this  morning 

[VAUGHAN  sighs  his  relief.'] 

Your  father  wrote  and  printed  that  poison,  and  has  for- 
feited his  life  for  that  boy's  act 

VAUGHAN 
[Trembling.'] 
I  know  you  could  order  his  execution 

LINCOLN 
I  said  to-day  that  I'd  hang  such  a  man  on  a  gallows  forty 

cubits  high — but  now  that  I  see  you  trembling 

[He  pauses. ,] 
I  shall  not  order  his  execution.     I  shall  only  hold  him 

until  the  war  is  over,  and  then  let  him  and  all  the 

others  go 

[Pauses.  ] 
Tyrant  and  usurper  they  call  me !    And  I'm  the  humblest 

man  who  walks  the  earth  to-night! 

VAUGHAN 

[Slowly  sinking  to  a  seat  and  covering  his  face  with 
his  hands  in  a  cry  of  despair.] 

Oh, — my  God ! 

LINCOLN 

[Bending  in  sorrowful  amazement   and   touching 
VAUGHAN'S  head.] 

Why, — what's  the  matter,  my  boy ?     I'm  the  only 

man  to  despair.    You're  just  a  Captain  in  the  army. 
You  have  only  to  obey  your  superior  officer.    If  to 
[108] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

be  the  head  of  hell  is  as  hard  as  what  I've  had  to 
undergo  here,  I  could  find  it  in  my  heart  to  pity 
Satan  himself.  And  if  there's  a  man  outside  of  per- 
dition who  suffers  more  than  I  do,  I  pity  him ! 

VAUGHAN 
[Springing  to  his  feet  and  throwing  his  hands  up 

in  anguish.'] 
You  don't  understand !    You  don't  understand ! 

LINCOLN 
Understand — what ? 

VAUGHAN 
[Impetuously.] 

When  I  lay  in  the  hospital  suffering  from  my  wounds,  I 
received  the  letter  telling  me  of  my  father's  im- 
prisonment. I  must  have  gone  mad — for  when  you 
refused  to-night  to  give  him  a  trial — I  started  to — 

kill — you Oh,  my  God ! 

[Breaks  down.~\ 

LINCOLN 

To  kill  me !     You  are  the  second  man  to  try  it. 

He'll  get  me  the  next  time — I  who  envy  the  dead 

their  rest ! 

[Laughs.'] 

What  a  strange  thing  this  life  of  ours ! 
[Pauses.] 

Why  didn't  you  do  it ? 

VAUGHAN 
Because,  for  the  first  time  you  made  me  see  things  as 

they  are,  and  I  got  a  glimpse  of  the  inside 

[109] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
[Eagerly.] 
Then,  I  won — didn't  I ? 


VAUGHAN 

Yes — and  I  can  never  forgive  myself  the  thought  of 

harming  you ! 

LINCOLN 
[Ignoring  his  grief.] 

If  I've  won  you,  I  can  win  others,  if  I  only  get  their 
ear  and  make  them  know  as  you  know !  All  I  need 
is  a  little  time!  And  I'm  going  to  fight  for  it 

now 

[With  quick  uplift  of  spirit.] 

I've  told  you  the  truth  and  the  truth  has  turned  a  mur- 
derer into  my  friend!  If  only  the  people  can 
know — can  have  time  to  think,  I'll  win — I'll  win — ! 
Look  here — I've  won  you  now ? 

VAUGHAN 
[Eagerly.] 
Just  give  me  a  chance  to  prove  it- 


[LINCOLN  studies  VAUGHAN  thoughtfully.] 

LINCOLN 
You  doubtless  said  many  bitter  things  in  Washington  ? 

VAUGHAN 

Many  of  them 

LINCOLN 

Then,  you  were  approached  by  the  leaders  of  a  Copper- 
head Secret  Order  called  The  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Circle — were  you  not? 

[no] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 

Yes ! 

LINCOLN 

I  thought  so 

[Cautiously.'] 
You — joined  the  Order ? 


VAUGHAN 
[Hesitates."] 

I  joined,  and  I'm  one  of  their  officers 

LINCOLN 
[Carefully.'] 
Of  their  inner  council? 

VAUGHAN 


LINCOLN 
You  —  know  —  all  their  signs  and  passwords  ? 

VAUGHAN 
Every  one  - 

LINCOLN 

[With  sudden  deep  excitement.'] 

Young  man,  you  may  have  thought  you  came  here  to- 
night with  murder  in  your  heart  —  but  Almighty  God 
sent  you  for  a  different  purpose  -  ! 

VAUGHN  N 
What  do  you  mean? 

LINCOLN 

You'll  stand  by  me  now,  through  thick  and  thin? 

[in] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 
[Passionately.] 
I'd  count  it  an  honor  to  die  for  you ! 


LINCOLN 

Well,  I'm  going  to  ask  you  to  do  something  harder  than 
that  for  a  man  of  sensitive  honor.  These  Copper- 
head traitors  took  advantage  of  your  illness  and 
grief  over  your  father  to  inveigle  you  into  a  scheme 
of  high  treason 

VAUGHAN 

What ! 

LINCOLN 
You    believed    their    purpose    to    be    patriotic — didn't 

you ? 

VAUGHAN 

Of  course 

LINCOLN 

[Seising  BAKER'S  Report.] 

This  document  from  Baker's  Office  contains  the  original 
order  of  their  Chief  for  an  uprising  on  the  night 
of  the  election 

VAUGHAN 
Uprising  for  what ? 

LINCOLN 

To  overturn  the  Government,  recognize  the  Confederacy, 
and  divide  the  Union 

VAUGHAN 
Is  it  possible ! 

[112] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

You  know — after  what  has  passed  between  us  to-night — 
that  I  speak  the  truth 

VAUGHAN 

Yes ! 

LINCOLN 

You  came  in  here  to  demand  a  trial  for  your  father — • 
and  find  him  in  reality  justly  condemned  to  death. 
I  have  pardoned  him.  I  want  you  to  atone  for  his 
wrongs  and  your  own  tragic  mistake,  by  placing 
yourself  with  the  signs  and  passwords  of  that 
Society  at  my  disposal.  You  have  been  basely  de- 
ceived and  betrayed — will  you  do  it? 

VAUGHAN 

If  my  country  calls — yes— and  I'll  thank  God  for  the 
chance  to  atone ! 

LINCOLN 

Good !     You  are  the   one  man  on  earth  to-night 

whom  I  need  and  didn't  think  I  could  get!  I'm 
going  to  send  you  on  a  dangerous  mission.  I  need 
two  things  to  carry  this  election  and  save  the  Union 
— a  single  victory  in  the  field  to  lift  our  people  out 
of  the  dumps,  and  a  word  from  Jefferson  Davis 
that  there  can  be  no  peace  save  in  division!  I  know 
Davis.  We  were  both  born  in  Kentucky,  on  almost 
the  same  day.  He  holds  that  position.  But  the 
peace  party  of  the  North  refuse  to  believe  it.  They 
say  he  will  compromise.  Now  I've  sent  two  men 
down  there — Colonel  Jacquess,  a  Methodist  clergy- 
man, of  our  hospital  service,  and  John  R.  Gilmore 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

of  the  Tribune,  old  Greeley's  paper.  They  go  as 
private  citizens  of  the  North,  who  desire  peace. 
They  are  to  draw  Davis  out,  and  get  his  declaration 
for  me.  Technically,  they  are  spies — for  they  have 
no  credentials.  They  may  be  imprisoned  or  ex- 
ecuted. They  passed  through  our  lines  but  twenty 
miles  from  Richmond,  seven  days  ago.  I  haven't 
been  able  to  hear  from  them.  The  silence  is  omi- 
nous. 

VAUGHAN 

And  you  wish  me  to  find  out  what  has  happened  to 
them ? 

LINCOLN 
[Eagerly.'] 

I  want  another  man  in  Richmond,  quick — whose  identity 
will  be  unknown — a  man  who  can  win  the  con- 
fidence of  Judah  P.  Benjamin,  Davis'  Secretary  of 
State,  who  is  preventing  my  interview  with  the  Con- 
federate President.  Benjamin  is  the  ablest  and  by 
far  the  most  dangerous  man  in  the  South  to-day.  I 

know  from  this  document  on  my  desk 

[Touches  BAKER'S  Report.] 

that  he  is  in  close  touch  with  the  Copperhead  Socie- 
ties of  the  North — if  his  keen  mind  is  not  actually 
directing  them.  You  have  their  signs  and  pass- 
words. It  seems  too  good  to  be  true !  If  you  carry 
to  Benjamin  a  special  report  of  this  planned  upris- 
ing, you  can  gain  his  confidence,  and  persuade  him 
to  let  my  men  see  Davis.  If  you  can  only  get 
through  the  lines  and  reach  him  before  being  ar- 
rested  ! 

[114] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 

I've  a  brother  in  General  Lee's  army — sir — for  whom 
I've  often  been  mistaken  before  the  war 

LINCOLN 
That's  great ! 

VAUGHAN 
He  is  an  officer  too — a  First  Lieutenant. 

LINCOLN 

Fine !  Before  you  go,  confer  with  Baker.  He  will  give 
you  the  names  of  our  agents  in  Richmond  and  de- 
cide on  your  disguise.  He  will  probably  put  you 
in  Confederate  uniform  and  make  out  in  your 
brother's  name  a  rebel  leave  of  absence  to  use  in 
an  emergency.  You  are  a  Southern  man.  Your  ac- 
cent is  perfect.  Your  chances  of  success  great.  I 

want  you  to  leave  within  an  hour 

[He  writes  on  two  cards.'] 

VAUGHAN 
In  five  minutes,  if  you  wish 

LINCOLN 

If  you  can  get  for  Jacquess  and  Gilmore  a  hearing  and 
they  are  allowed  to  return  and  tell  their  story,  all 
right — your  work  in  Richmond  is  done.  But  if  they 
are  imprisoned  or  executed,  report  this  fact  and 
Mr.  Davis'  answer,  and  it  will  be  doubly  effective — 
you  understand ? 

VAUGHAN 
Perfectly,  sir 

[US] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

That's  your  first  job.    Your  next  will  be  to  get  a  special 
message  through   from  inside  the  Confederacy  to 
General  Sherman,  who  is  laying  siege  to  Atlanta. 
[Takes  up  telegram.] 

This  message  from  him,  received  this  morning,  says  that 
he  has  as  yet  been  unable  to  locate  and  count  up 
Hood's  second  line  of  defense  which  he  must  fight 
in  a  flank  movement.  Take  the  train  from  Rich- 
mond to  Atlanta.  Keep  your  eyes  open  every  foot 
of  the  way.  Find  out  from  inside,  the  position  of 
this  second  line,  and  the  number  of  regiments  hold- 
ing it.  Make  no  mistake  about  it.  Break  through  to 
Sherman,  and  report  to  him 

VAUGHAN 
A  tough  job,  sir — but  I  believe  I  can  do  it 

LINCOLN 

That's  the  way  to  talk,  my  boy !     When  you  reach 

General  Sherman,  you  will  deliver  to  him  a  verbal 
message — I'll  give  you  a  sign  that  will  identify  you. 
This  is  the  big  thing  I'm  sending  you  to  do.  I  could 
telegraph  my  order  direct  to  Sherman,  but  it  would 
have  to  be  filed  in  the  War  Office,  and  might  offend 
General  Grant.  As  an  officer,  you  understand 

that 

VAUGHAN 

Clearly,  sir 

LINCOLN 

For  this  reason  I'm  sending  you  on  this  urgent  and  dan- 
gerous business.    Tell  General  Sherman  for  me,  that 
[116] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

if  he  can  take  Atlanta  at  once,  the  blow  will  lift 
our  people  from  despair,  carry  the  election,  and  save 
the  Union !  I  send  by  you  the  order  for  him  to 
strike.  If  he  wins,  the  order  will  remain  a  secret — 
the  credit  shall  all  be  his!  If  he  strikes  and  loses, 
I'll  publish  my  order  and  take  the  blame  on  my- 
self.— You  think  you  can  do  this ? 

VAUGHAN 
[Quietly.] 
I'll  do  it — or  I'll  die  trying,  sir 


LINCOLN 

[Writing  on  the  back  of  his  card.'] 
All  right,  take  this  card  to  Stanton's  Office  and  tell  him 
what  I've  told  you.  Ask  him  to  arrange  to  send  you 
by  boat  to  Aquia,  Virginia,  by  horse  from  there. 
This  card  to  Baker's  Office — Return  here  for  your 
papers,  and  say  good-by  to  your  sweetheart 

VAUGHAN 

At  once,  sir 

LINCOLN 

My  boy — I  trust  you  implicitly!     My  mother's  God  has 
been  talking  to  me  since  you  entered  this  room! 
You've  lifted  my  spirit  to  the  heights! 
[VAUGHAN  exits.] 


CURTAIN 


ACT  III 

SCENE  i 

SET  SCENE:  Jefferson  Davis'  room  in  the  Confederate 
Capitol  at  Richmond,  two  days  later.  A  long  table 
is  on  the  right.  Two  small  tables  on  left.  Doors 
right  and  left,  and  mantel  center. 

AT  RISE:  A  DOORMAN  in  Confederate  uniform  arranges 
the  chairs  about  a  long  table  as  if  for  a  Cabinet 
Meeting. 
[BENJAMINI  enters.'} 

BENJAMIN 
Mr.  Davis  has  not  yet  arrived ? 


THE  DOORMAN 

Not  yet,   Mr.   Benjamin — I   am  expecting  him  at  ten 
o'clock — it's  now  a  quarter  of 

BENJAMIN 

I've  asked  a  young  man  to  wait  in  your  room  for  me—- 
has he  come ? 

THE  DOORMAN 
He's  there  now — sir 

BENJAMIN 

You've  talked  with  him  freely ? 

[118] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

THE  DOORMAN 
[Laughs.'] 
Oh,  yes,  sir — we've  been  swappin'  yarns  for  half  an 

hour 

BENJAMIN 
I  thought  so — that's  why  I  asked  him  to  wait  in  your 

room 

THE  DOORMAN 
Well,  I  always  try  to  be  sociable ! 

BENJAMIN 
I  know !    Did  you  get  much  out  of  him? 

THE  DOORMAN 
Why,  how — how  do  ye  mean? 

BENJAMIN 

Find  out  anything  about  his  people — where  he  came 
from,  where  he's  going  to — what  he's  doing  in  Rich- 
mond? 

THE  DOORMAN 
Oh,  no,  sir !    He's  full  of  fun — he  kept  me  laughin'  most 

o'  the  time 

BENJAMIN 

I  see ! 

[Laughs. 1 
He  knows  his  business.    Show  him  in. 

THE  DOORMAN 


Yes,  sir- 


[BENJAMIN  seats  himself  at  one  of  the  small  tables 
at  left  and  examines  his  schedule  for  the  day's 
work.  THE  DOORMAN  opens  the  door  and  shows 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN   in,   dressed  in  Confederate  uniform. 
BENJAMIN  rises  and  greets  him  cordially.} 

BENJAMIN 

Good  morning,  young  man 

[Gives  VAUGHAN  the  Sign  of  the  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Circle.'] 

VAUGHAN 
[Returns  Sign.] 

Good  morning,  Mr.  Benjamin — I  hope  you've  rested 
well? 

BENJAMIN 

Not  so  well  as  usual — the  truth  is  I've  been  wrestling 
all  night  with  the  problem  of  Jacquess  and  Gilmore. 
I've  confirmed  your  view  that  they  have  given  their 
real  names.  Gilmore  is  a  reporter  of  the  New  York 
Tribune  and  Colonel  Jacquess  is  a  Methodist  clergy- 
man well  known  in  the  hospital  service,  in  fact 
famous  for  his  kindly  treatment  of  Southern 

prisoners 

VAUGHAN 

Just  as  I  told  you 


BENJAMIN 

I've  allowed  the  Commissioner  of  Exchange  who  has 
been  holding  them  in  custody  to  bring  them  here 

this  morning 

VAUGHAN 
Good! 

BENJAMIN 

Last  night,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  take  your  advice  and 
to  let  them  see  Mr.  Davis 

[120] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 
I'm  glad 

BENJAMIN 
This  morning  I'm  puzzling  over  it ! 

VAUGHAN 

[Showing  his  disappointment.] 
Why ? 

BENJAMIN 

I  agree  with  you  that  we  could  use  the  interview  for 
our  own  purposes.  But  the  trouble  is,  Mr.  Davis  is 
soft-hearted  sometimes.  He  may  refuse  to  take  my 
advice.  He  may  let  these  men  go. 

VAUGHAN 

You  surely  can  depend  on  his  allowing  you  to  hold  them 
in  Libby  Prison  until  after  the  election? 

BENJAMIN 

I'm  not  sure  of  it.  If  he  takes  a  notion  to  let  them  go — 
he's  as  stubborn  as  a  mule. 

VAUCTHAN 

All  right — Let  me  be  present  at  the  interview  and  take 
notes.  If  Mr.  Davis  makes  an  important  declara- 
tion about  peace  and  lets  them  go,  I'll  beat  them 
to  the  North  and  give  your  version  of  the  interview 

first ! 

BENJAMIN 
[Hesitating.] 
I  might  do  that — yes ! 

[121] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 

I  could  not  only  head  off  any  injury  from  their  report, 
but  I  could  give  it  a  twist  that  would  make  it  a 

boomerang  on  Lincoln 

[BENJAMIN  hesitates  while  VAUGHAN  watches  him 
breathlessly.'] 

BENJAMIN 
[Thinking.] 

You  could  act  as  my  special  secretary  for  the  meeting 
and  take  shorthand  notes — or  pretend  to- 

VAUGHAN 

I  take  shorthand.  I've  been  a  reporter  in  Washing- 
ton  

BENJAMIN 
Then  it  would  be  easy. 

VAUGHAN 

No  matter  what  is  said,  I  can  make  a  report  that  will 
harden  the  purpose  of  our  Societies  to  swing  the 
uprising  on  the  night  of  the  election. 

BENJAMIN 

You  are  sure  the  order  for  the  revolt  against  the  Lincoln 
Government  has  been  issued? 

VAUGHAN 
Absolutely  sure. 

BENJAMIN 

I  know  they  have  discussed  it  and  may  have  decided  to 
do  it,  but  are  the  actual  preparations  under  way? 

VAUGHAN 

In  every  Lodge  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  the 
command  is  now  on  record.     Our  forces  are  being 
[122] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

drilled.     I  have  read   the  original  order  with  the 
signature  of  the  Commander 

BENJAMIN 

[Elated.'] 
It's  great  news  you've  brought  us,  young  man — great 

news! 

[BENJAMIN'  hesitates  and  VAUGHAN  watches  him.} 
All  right,  we'll  risk  it ! 

[VAUGHAN  shows  his  secret  joy  and  deep  excite- 
ment.'] 
These  men  are  Lincoln's  spies  beyond  a  doubt — but  we'll 

dig  oyt  of  them  all  the  information  possible,  and 

then  use  them  for  our  purpose 

[THE  DOORMAN  enters.'] 

THE  DOORMAN 

Judge  Ould,  the  Commissioner  of  Exchange 

[OuLD  enters.'] 

OULD 
Our  visitors  are  outside,  Mr.  Benjamin. 

BENJAMIN 

You  understand,  Judge  Ould,  that  these  men  are  prison- 
ers of  war  in  your  charge  as  Exchange  Commis- 
sioner ? 

OULD 

I  am  painfully  aware  of  that  fact,  sir — and  the  responsi- 
bility is  not  to  my  liking. 

BENJAMIN 

While  in  Richmond,  they  are  to  be  held  under  the  strict- 
est guard  and  on  no  conditions  allowed  a  liberty  ex- 
cept by  my  order,  or  the  order  of  the  President. 
[123] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

OULD 

I  can  trust  them  here  with  you,  I  hope,  for  half  an  hour? 

BENJAMIN 
You  can.    Show  them  in. 

[VAUGHAN  takes  his  seat  at  the  small  table  near 
BENJAMIN  who  gives  him  a  note  book  and  he 
prepares  to  take  notes.  OULD  reenters  conduct- 
ing JACQUESS  and  GILMORE.] 

OULD 
Colonel  James  F.  Jacquess  and  Mr.  John  E.  Gilmore, — 

Mr.  Secretary  of  State 

[OuLD  bows  and  exits,  while  BENJAMIN  advances 
with  marked  cordiality  to  greet  his  visitors.  He 
does  not  shake  hands  but  bows  politely.] 

BENJAMIN 

I  am  delighted  to  see  you,  gentlemen — pray  be  seated. 
[The  two  men  sit  and  GILMORE  shoots  at  VAUGHAN 
a  look  of  startled  recognition  which  VAUGHAN 
fails  to  return.'] 
You  bring  overtures  from  your  Government  I  trust. 

JACQUESS 
No,  sir,  we  bring  no  overtures 

GILMORE 
We  have  no  authority  from  our  Government. 

JACQUESS 

We  have  come  simply  as  private  citizens  to  know  what 
terms  will  be  acceptable  to  Mr.  Davis  for  ending  the 
war? 

[124] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

BENJAMIN 
You  are  acquainted  with  Mr.  Lincoln's  views,  however? 

JACQUESS 

One  of  us  is  fully 

BENJAMIN 

I  supposed  so.  May  I  ask,  did  Mr.  Lincoln  in  any  way 
authorize  you  to  come  here? 

GILMORE 

No,  sir.  We  came  on  his  pass  through  the  lines,  of 
course,  but  not  by  his  request. 

JACQUESS 

We  came,  Mr.  Benjamin,  simply  as  men  and  Christians, 
not  as  diplomats,  hoping  in  a  frank  talk  with  Mr. 
Davis  to  discover  some  way  by  which  this  war  may 
be  stopped. 

BENJAMIN 
On  my  advice,  gentlemen,  Mr.  Davis  will  see  you 

JAQUESS  AND  GILMORE 

Thank  you 

BENJAMIN 

I  think  he  is  here  now 

[BENJAMIN  exits.'] 

GILMORE 

[In  low  tones  to  VAUGHAN.] 
What  are  you  doing  here  ? 

VAUGHAN 
Writing!    I  don't  know  you 

GILMORE 
The  hell  you  don't ! 

[125] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

VAUGHAN 
No! 

GlLMORE 

We  worked  on  the  same  paper  in  Washington,  once 

VAUGHAN 
Never  saw  you  before 

GlLMORE 

Get- word-through- will  you !    We're  in  a  trap ! 

VAUGHAN 

Shut  your  damned  trap!  or  we'll  both  make  our  break- 
fast on  lead  at  sunrise  to-morrow  morning!  Get 
back  to  your  seat ! 

[The  sound  of  approaching  steps  are  heard.     BEN- 
JAMIN enters  as  GILMORE  drops  into  his  seat.] 

BENJAMIN 

Gentlemen :  The  President  of  the  Confederate  States  of 
America ! 

[DAVIS  enters  and  bows  to  his  visitors,  wlio  rise. 
His  figure  is  about  five  foot  ten  and  quite  thin. 
His  features  are  typically  the  Southern  scholar 
and  thinker  with  angular  cheeks  and  high  cheek 
bones.  His  iron  gray  hair  is  long  and  thick  and 
inclined  to  curl  at  the  ends.  His  whiskers  are 
thin  and  trimmed  farmer  fashion,  on  the  lower 
end  of  his  strong  chin.  His  eyes  flash  ivith  strong 
vitality.  His  forehead  is  broad,  his  mouth  strong. 
He  wears  a  brown  suit  of  foreign  cloth  which  fits 
him  perfectly.  His  shoulders  slightly  droop.  His 
[126] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

manner  is  easy  and  graceful,  his  voice  charming 
and  cultured."] 

DAVIS 

I  am  glad  to  meet  you,  gentlemen.    You  are  very  wel- 
come to  Richmond. 

GILMORE 
We  thank  you,  Mr.  Davis. 

DAVIS 

Mr.  Benjamin  tells  me  that  you  have  asked  to  see  me 

[He  pauses  and  waits  for  his  visitors  to  finish  the 
sentence.] 

JACQUESS 

Yes,  sir.     Our  people  want  Peace.     Your  people  do. 
We  have  come  to  ask  how  it  may  be  brought  about? 

DAVIS 

Very  simply.     Withdraw  your  armies  from  the  South, 
let  us  alone  and  Peace  comes  at  once. 

JACQUESS 

But  we  cannot  let  you  alone  so  long  as  you  seek  to  divide 
the  Union. 

DAVIS 

I  know.    You  deny  us,  what  you  exact  for  yourselves — 
the  right  of  self-government. 

JACQUESS 

Even  so,  Mr.  Davis,  we  cannot  fight  forever.    The  war 
must    end   sometime.     We    must   finally   agree   on 
something.    Can  we  not  find  the  basis  of  agreement 
now,  and  stop  this  slaughter? 
[VAUGHAN  takes  notes  rapidly.'] 
[127] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

DAVIS 

I  wish  peace  as  much  as  you  do.  I  deplore  bloodshed. 
But  I  feel  that  not  one  drop  of  this  blood  is  on  my 
hands.  I  can  look  up  to  God  and  say  this.  I  tried 
to  avert  this  war.  I  saw  it  coming  and  for  twelve 
years  I  worked  day  and  night  to  prevent  it.  The 
North  was  mad  and  blind  and  would  not  let  us 
govern  ourselves,  and  now  it  must  go  on  until  the 
last  man  of  this  generation  falls  in  his  tracks  and 
their  children  seize  their  muskets  and  fight  our 
battle — unless  you  acknowledge  our  right  to  self- 
government.  We  are  not  fighting  for  Slavery.  We 
are  fighting  for  independence  and  that  or  extermina- 
tion we  will  have 

JACQUESS 
[Protesting.'] 

We  have  no  wish  to  exterminate  the  South !  But  we 
must  crush  your  armies.  Is  it  not  already  nearly 
done?  Grant  has  shut  you  up  in  Richmond,  and 
Sherman  is  before  Atlanta. 

DAVIS 

[Laughs. ~] 

You  don't  seem  to  understand  the  situation !  We're  not 
exactly  shut  up  in  Richmond  yet.  If  your  papers 
tell  the  truth,  it  is  your  Capitol  that  is  in  danger, 
not  ours.  Lee's  front  has  never  yet  been  broken. 
He  holds  Grant,  invades  the  North  and  shells  Wash- 
ington. Sherman,  to  be  sure,  is  before  Atlanta. 
But  suppose  he  is  ?  His  position  is  a  dangerous  one. 
The  further  he  goes  from  his  base  of  supplies,  the 
[128] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

more  disastrous  defeat  must  be.     And  his  defeat 
may  be  at  hand. 

JACQUESS 

And  yet,  the  odds  are  overwhelmingly  against  you.  How 
can  you  hope  for  success  in  the  end? 

DAVIS 

My  friend,  the  South  stands  for  a  principle — their  equal 
rights  under  the  Constitution  which  their  fathers 
created.  This  country  has  always  been  a  Republic 
of  Republics — not  an  Empire.  We  are  fighting  for 
the  right  of  local  self-government  which  we  won 
from  the  tyrants  of  the  old  world.  The  states  of 
the  Union  have  always  been  sovereign.  We  never 
paused  to  figure  on  success  or  failure,  sir.  Five 
million  Southern  freemen  drew  their  sword  against 
twenty  millions  because  their  rights  had  been  in- 
vaded. 

JACQUESS 

And  yet,  Mr.  Davis,  you  know  as  well  as  I  that  five 
millions  cannot  hold  out  forever  against  twenty. 
Have  we  not  reached  the  end  ? 

DAVIS 

Hardly!  Do  you  think  there  are  twenty  millions  in  the 
North  still  determined  to  crush  us?  If  so,  let  me 
tell  you  that  I  am  better  informed  on  the  present 
situation  inside  your  lines  than  you  are.  The  North 

at  this  moment  is  hopelessly  divided,  sir 

[BENJAMIN  exchanges  signs  with  VAUGHAN.] 

JACQUESS 

The  dispute  then  with  your  government  is  narrowed  to 
this — union — or  disunion  ? 
[129] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

DAVIS 

Let  us  say  independence  or  subjugation.  We  mean  to 
govern  ourselves.  We  will  hold  this  principle  if  we 
have  to  see  every  Southern  plantation  sacked  and 

every  city  in  flames 

[JACQUESS  and  GILMORE  rise.     VAUGHAN  catches 
GILMORE'S  eye.] 

JACQUESS 
I  am  sorry,  sir. 

(DAVIS  takes  JACQUESS'  hand  in  both  his  in  the  same 
way  LINCOLN  did.] 

DAVIS 

I  respect  your  character,  Colonel  Jacquess  and  your 
motives  and  I  wish  you  well — every  good  wish  pos- 
sible consistent  with  the  interests  of  the  Confeder- 


acy  

[He  presses  GILMORE'S  hand  and  follows  them  to 
the  door.] 

JACQUESS 
Thank  you. 

DAVIS 
[At  door.] 

And  say  to  Mr.  Lincoln  that  I  snail  be  pleased  to  receive 
proposals  for  peace  direct  from  him,  at  any  time,  on 
the  basis  of  our  independence.    It  will  be  useless  to 
approach  me  with  any  other. 
[JACQUESS  and  GILMORE  exit  and  OULD  re'enters.] 

OULP 

[To  Davis.] 

And  shall  I  conduct  these  gentlemen  back  to  Grant's 
lines  ? 


No,  these  men  are  spies  straight  from  Lincoln's  desk. 
It's  the  slyest  trick  the  old  fox  has  ever  tried  to  play 
on  us.  He  knows  that  McClellan's  election  on  a 
peace  platform  is  a  certainty.  He's  after  ammuni- 
tion for  this  campaign.  We  dare  not  play  into  his 
hands!  Our  very  life  may  depend  on  it!  Make  no 
mistake — these  men  must  be  locked  up  to-night  and 
shot  at  sunrise. 

OULD 
[Shakes  his  head."] 

I  wouldn't  do  it  if  I  were  you 

BENJAMIN 
Why? 

OULD 

For  one  reason  this 

[OuLD  unfolds  a  note."] 
Ben  Butler  sent  this  note  to  me  by  their  hands.    It  was 

sealed.    Read  it. 

DAVIS 

[Interrupting."] 
Just  a  moment 

[To  THE  DOORMAN.] 
General  Lee  is  ki  the  War  Office — ask  him  if  he  can  see 

me  for  a  few  minutes,  please. 

[THE  DOORMAN  bows  and  exits.] 
Go  on,  genflemen. 

OULD 

[Tb  BENJAMIN— ^handing  him  the  npte.] 
Read  it! 

[131] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

BENJAMIN 
[Reading.'] 

"If  these  men  do  not  return  to  my  lines  within  ten  days, 
I  shall  demand  them,  and  if  you  don't  produce  them 
— I'll  execute  two  for  one. 

"(Signed)  B.F.BUTLER." 

BENJAMIN 
[Angrily.'] 
Bluff!    Bluff! 

DAVIS 
He's  a  beast.    He'll  do  it. 

BENJAMIN 

All  right!  Let  him  try  it!  Two  can  play  that  game. 
We  can  execute  four  for  one 

DAVIS 

I  don't  like  these  bloody  reprisals.  There's  no  end,  once 
we  begin. 

BENJAMIN 
The  decision  is  yours,  sir. 

DAVIS 

I  reserve  my  decision.  I'll  give  it  to  you  presently.  I 
want  a  word  with  General  Lee — first — if  you  will 
give  me  this  room. 

BENJAMIN 
Certainly,  we'll  retire  until  you're  ready.    This  way. 

[BENJAMIN  conducts  VAUGHAN  and  OULD  into  the 
room   right — opposite    the    door    through    which 
JACQUESS  and  GILMORE  made  their  exit. — THE 
DOORMAN  enters  and  announces.'] 
[132] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

THE  DOORMAN 
General  Lee! 

DAVIS 
[Advances  cordially  and  takes  LEE'S  hand  in  both 

his.~\ 

Thank  you,  General.  I  wish  to  consult  you  first  on  a 
peculiar  matter — of  small  importance  from  one 
point  of  view — of  tremendous  importance  from  an- 
other. Two  men  have  been  passed  into  our  lines  to 
sound  me  on  the  question  of  Peace.  I  have  just 
talked  with  them.  I  am  certain — so  is  Benjamin — 
that  they  come  straight  from  Lincoln  though  they 
have  no  credentials.  Benjamin  demands  their  ex- 
ecution— Judge  Ould  protests.  Are  they  spies  ? 

LEE 
Technically,  yes — morally,  no. 

DAVIS 

Thank  you.  Before  I  decide  whether  to  let  these  men 
go  with  a  message  to  the  North,  I  must  ask  you  one 

or  two  questions 

LEE 
At  your  service,  sir. 

DAVIS 
How  long  can  you  hold  Grant? 

LEE 
Certainly  a  year — unless 

DAVIS 
Yes? 

LEE 
Unless  Atlanta  falls. 

[133] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

DAVIS 
And  then? 

LEE 

If  General  Hood  fails  to  hold  Atlanta,  Sherman  can  cut 
the  South  in  two  and  my  supplies  fail.  My  men  are 
living  now  on  parched  corn.  If  Sherman  takes 
Atlanta,  I  cannot  get  the  corn. 

DAVIS 
What  is  the  spirit  of  your  men  at  this  moment,  General  ? 

LEE 

A  more  formidable  force  was  never  set  in  motion  than 
the  army  I  command,  sir.  They  are  our  stark 
fighters — men  who  individually  or  in  the  mass  can 
be  depended  on  for  any  feat  of  arms  in  the  power  of 
mortals  to  accomplish.  I  know  them  from  expe- 
rience. They  will  blanch  at  nothing — yet  they  must 
have  food. 

DAVIS 

You  shall  have  it.    But  after  one  year — then  what? 

LEE 

It's  solely  a  question  of  man  power,  sir.  I  must  have 
more  men. 

DAVIS 
And  you  suggest? 

LEE 

That  you  immediately  begin  to  arm  and  drill  500,000 
negroes  for  my  command. 

DAVIS 

And  you  think  they  would  make  good  soldiers  ? 

[134] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LEE 
Led  by  their  old  masters — they'll  fight — to  a  man. 

DAVIS 

It  would  be  necessary  to  give  each  black  volunteer  his 
freedom? 

LEE 

Of  course.  I,  as  you  know,  freed  my  own  slaves  before 
entering  the  service  of  the  South.  It  is  one  of  the 
ironies  of  Fate  that  I  am  supposed  to  be  fighting 
for  slavery — I  who  refuse  to  own  a  slave  and  my 
opponent  General  Grant  is  through  his  wife's  estate 
a  slaveholder.  Slavery  is  doomed,  sir.  It  can 
never  survive  this  tragedy.  The  Legislature  of 
Virginia  came  within  one  vote  of  freeing  her  slaves, 
years  ago. 

DAVIS 

I  know.  But  the  great  Gulf  States  and  South  Carolina 
with  their  majority  of  Negro  population  will  never 
agree  to  the  arming  of  half  a  million  slaves. 

LEE 

And  you  will  allow  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  South 
Carolina  to  defeat  a  plan  necessary  to  save  the  life 
of  the  Confederacy? 

DAVIS 

The  States  are  sovereign,  General  Lee — for  this  prin- 
ciple we  are  fighting. 

LEE 

Then  I  think  it  may  be  time  to  ask  ourselves,  heart  to 
heart,  the  question  whether  the  Confederacy,  as  or- 
[135] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

ganized,  does  not  carry  within  its  own  body  the 
seeds  of  death?  The  rights  of  a  state  must  some- 
where yield  to  the  supreme  power  of  a  nation.  The 
Negro  will  make  a  brave  soldier,  and  he  can  save 
the  South.  Will  you  use  him? 

DAVIS 

I'll  consider  your  suggestion,  General,  but  I  can't  see  it — 
I  can't  see  it  now.    I  won't  detain  you  longer. 
[GENERAL  LEE  salutes  and  exits — DAVIS  goes  to  the 

opposite  door — opens  it  and  calls.'] 
I  am  ready,  gentlemen. 

[OuLD,  BENJAMIN  and  VAUGHAN  reenter."] 

BENJAMIN 
You  have  decided? 

DAVIS 

Yes. 

[He  sits  and  writes  a  pass."] 
It  is  probably  a  bad  business  for  us 

BENJAMIN 
There  can  be  no  doubt  about  that,  sir 

DAVIS 

But  it  would  alienate  many  of  our  Northern  friends  if 
we   held   these    men.     I  have   decided  to  let  them 
go.    Give  them  this  pass. 
[Hands  pass  to  OULD.] 

Show  them  through  the  hospitals  and  Libby  Prison  and 
conduct  them  back  to  General  Grant's  lines. 
[136] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

OULD 

You  have  acted  wisely,  sir. 

BENJAMIN 

[With  deep  feeling  to  VAUGHAN.] 
He  has  made  exactly  the  blunder  I  feared 


VAUGHAN 
{With  elation.'] 

We'll  hope  for  the  best,  sir !    With  the  twist  I'll  give  the 
news 

CURTAIN 


SCENE  n 

SET  SCENE:  The  same  as  Acts  I  and  II,  except  that  a 
small  table  has  been  placed  down  center  on  the  side 
near  Lincoln's  desk.  A  telegraph  instrument  has 
been  installed  on  this  table. 

AT  RISE  :  At  rise,  the  audience  sees  only  LINCOLN  and 
OPERATOR,  the  lights  gradually  rise  until  full  day 
shows  the  entire  room.  It  is  the  morning  of  Septem- 
ber 3,  1864. 

LINCOLN 

[Bending  over  the  key.~] 
Try  to  get  Atlanta  again,  my  boy. 

[The  OPERATOR  tries  again  and  again  to  get  At- 
lanta.] 

OPERATOR 
It's  no  use,  sir 

[137] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

We  don't  seem  to  have  any  luck,  do  we  ?    My  messenger 
should  have  reached  Sherman!     He  must  be  there 
now.    He  must  be  there — he  can't  be  lost! 
[Laughs  forlornly.'] 

Two  whole  days  I've  listened  to  that  thing  click 

[The  OPERATOR  calls  Atlanta  with  a  peculiar  loud 

call.] 
Is  that  the  word  Atlanta  you're  clicking  off? 

OPERATOR 

Yes,  sir — calling — over  this  wire  we  have  a  direct  con- 
nection to-day.  The  trouble  is  Sherman's  old  head- 
quarters don't  answer  either. 

LINCOLN 
Call  Atlanta  again.    Do  it  slowly.    I  want  to  learn  it — 

Uncle  Billy 

[The  OPERATOR  clicks  off  each  letter  in  the  Morse 

Code,  spelling  it  slowly.} 
Must  be  there  by  this  time! 

OPERATOR 
A— T— L— A— N— T— A—    G— A—  Atlanta,  Ga. 

LINCOLN 
Once  more. 

[The  OPERATOR  repeats  the  call  and  LINCOLN  fol- 
lows it  repeating  after  him.] 
I  want  to  catch  that  as  quick  as  you  do — when  it  comes ! 

[Aside.] 

Oh,  my  God,  why  don't  it  come !  — Why  don't  it  come ! 
[NICOLAY  enters.] 

[138] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

The  time's  up.  Raymond  and  his  damned  Committee 
are  here,  sir,  and  .insist  on  your  final  answer  at 

once 

LINCOLN 

Hold  them  back  awhile.  We're  bound  to  hear  something 
to-day.  I  promised  them  my  decision  this  morning, 
I  know—but  I'm  still  full  of  foolish  hopes. 

NICOLAY 
They  are  not  foolish  hopes, — Chief ! 

LINCOLN 

This  machine  here  seems  to  think  they  are.  The  darn 
fool  thing  will  talk  one  way  but  won't  chirp  the 
other. 

NICOLAY 
What  shall  I  tell  them? 

LINCOLN 

[Listening  at  the  instrument.'] 
Anything — tell  them  a  funny  story! 

[Listening.] 

They  need  a  laugh — the  bunch  of  undertakers4!    Waiting 
for  me  to  deliver  my  corpse  to  them! — Restless, 
because  I  haven't  given  it  up  sooner ! 
[The  sharp  click  of  the  telegraph  receiver  catches 
his  ear  and  he  starts  to  the  table.'] 

No — that  wasn't  it 

[Turns  again  to  NICOLAY.] 

Tell  them  positively,  I  will  see  them  within  half  an  hour. 
[NICOLAY  exits  and  LINCOLN  returns  to  his  vigil  by 
the  telegraph  table.] 

[139] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

How  close  can  you  get  to  Atlanta  over  the  Chattanooga 

line ? 

OPERATOR 
Twenty  miles  out  is  the  last  station  that  answers  and 

he  don't  know  what's  the  matter  with  the  line. 

LINCOLN 
Strange — we  got  closer  than  that  yesterday — Sherman's 

on  the  move.  .  .  . 

[BETTY  enters  timidly."] 
That's  certain. 

[Looking  up."] 
Come  right  in,  Miss  Betty — I  know  what  you  want. 

BETTY 
Nothing  yet  from  General  Sherman? 

LINCOLN 

Nothing 

BETTY 
And  no  message  of  any  kind  from  John  since  he  left? 

LINCOLN 
Not  yet. 

BETTY 
Why — why  hasn't  he  reported? 

LINCOLN 
[Hopefully."] 

I'm  sure — remember,  sure  to  a  moral  certainty — that  he 
left  Richmond  safely. 

BETTY 
[Eagerly."] 
You  hfue  a  message  then? 

[140] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
Indirectly — » 

BETTY 
Oh- — 

LINCOLN 

[To  EDWARD  at  door.] 
Edward,  ask  Mr.  Gilmore  to  step  in  here  a  minute. 

EDWARD 
Yes,  sir. 

LINCOLN 

Gilmore's  report  ought  to  be  worth, half  a  million  votes 
for  me — it  may  be  worth  something  to  you — 
[GILMORE  enters.'] 

Gilmore,  did  you  see  a  handsome  young  fellow  in  Con- 
federate uniform  taking  notes  at  your  interview 

with  Davis 

GILMORE 
Yes,  sir,  and  I  knew  him  too 

BETTY; 
[Eagerly.] 
It  was  Captain  Vaughan? 

GILMORE 
Sure !    He  denied  it,  of  course,  but  I  knew  him  all  right 

BETTY 
He  was  well? 

GILMORE 

I  never  saw  him  looking  better.    He  was  scared  stiff,  of 
course,  and  so  were  we 

BETTY 
Thank  you ! 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

That'll  do,  Gilmore.  I  wish  you'd  help  Nicolay  choke  that 
Committee  off  a  little  while — and  you  come  with 
them  when  they  break  in — will  you? 

GILMORE 

Gladly,  Mr.  President. 
[GILMORE  exits.] 

LINCOLN 

[To  BETTY  lightly.'] 
Now  you've  had  some  good  news 

BETTY 
[Forlornly.'] 
How  long  since  any  word  came  from  General  Sherman  ? 

LINCOLN 

Two  days.  I  know  the  hole  where  he  went  in  at.  But 
I  can't  tell  where  the  old  varmint's  going  to  come 

out 

BETTY 
[Chokes."] 
If  he  ever  comes  out ! 

LINCOLN 

Oh !    He'll  come  out 

[He  stops  and  listens  at  the  telegraph  instrument 

again,  and  sighs  in  disappointment.] 
He'll   come  out   somewhere — It's   a  habit  Uncle   Billy 

has 

BETTY 

[Hopelessly.] 

They've  no  news  at  the  War  Department  either. 

[142] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
No  news  is  generally  good  news  from  Sherman. 

[BETTY  turns  away  to  hide  her  tears  and  LINCOLN 

follows  her  with  tender  pleading.] 

Come,  come,  my  dear — these  tears  won't  do!     You've 
got  to  help  me  now ! 
[BETTY  brushes  the  tears  away.'] 

I  may  have  sent  your  lover  to  his  death.  I  know  that! 
But  he  went  with  a  smile  on  his  face  and  a  great 
joy  in  his  heart  for  the  service  he  was  doing  his 

country 

BETTY 

Yes — I  know — I  know — I'm  proud  of  the  honor  you 
did  him. 

LINCOLN 

[Whispering.] 

Give  me  a  little  lift,  then 

[Pauses.'] 
I'm  just  whistling  to  keep  up  my  courage ! 

[He  pauses  again  in  an  agony  of  suffering.] 
I  know  that  he  got  to  Atlanta 

[Pauses.] 
Sherman  has  disappeared! 

BETTY 

Forgive  me — I  forgot.  You're  going  to  win.  I  feel  it.  I 
know  it! 

LINCOLN 

That's  the  way  to  talk !  That's  the  way  I'm  talking  to 
myself  though  I'm  scared  within  an  inch  of  my 
life 

[He  pauses  and  goes  over  to  the  OPERATOR — BETTY 
following. 1 

[143] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

Say,  boy — can't  you  beat  it  a  little  harder  and  make  the 
blame  thing  talk  for  us? 

OPERATOR 
I  wish  I  could,  sir. 

LINCOLN 

Try  him  again 

[The  OPERATOR  calls  Atlanta  and  pauses — LINCOLN 
and  BETTY  bend  over  with  breathless  suspense. 
The  instrument  gives  one  click — LINCOLN  starts. 
The  instrument  stops.'] 
Didn't  the  thing  start  to  answer  ? 

[The  OPERATOR  shakes  his  head.'] 

Call  the  War  Office  and  ask  Stanton  to  step  over  here — 
My  God — why  can't  we  hear ! 

BETTY 
[Wistfully.-] 

I'm  not  going  to  cry  again — but  I  just  want  to  ask  one 
question — you  won't  mind? 

LINCOLN 
As  many  as  you  like ! 

BETTY 

He — he — had  to  enter  Atlanta  a  spy,  didn't  he? 
[Sobs  and  catches  herself.] 

LINCOLN 

Yes — of  course 

BETTY 

Well,  if  he  should  be  captured — could — they  execute 
him  without  our  knowing  it? 
[144] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 

They  might — but  he's  a  very  bright  young  man!  He'll 
be  too  smart  for  them 

BETTY 

[Hopelessly.'] 
I  don't  know — I  don't  know ! 

LINCOLN 

Now  listen — !  I'm  going  to  tell  you  something — I  know! 
I've  a  sort  of  second  sight  that  tells  me  things  some- 
times, my  dear.  After  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  I 
saw  General  Daniel  E.  Sickles  in  the  hospital.  They 
told  me  that  he  was  mortally  wounded  and  could 
not  possibly  live.  /  told  General  Sickles  that  he 
would  live  and  get  well,  and  he  did!  I  saw  his 
living  body  that  day  at  work  in  health  and  strength 
as  plainly  as  I  see  you!  We  have  not  heard  from 
Captain  Vaughan  yet,  but  it  will  come — !  He  has 
reached  Atlanta.  The  General  got  my  message.  I 
know  that.  I  felt  it  flash  through  the  air  from  his 
soul  to  mine !  I  can  see  you  and  your  lover  at  this 
moment  seated  side  by  side  smiling  and  happy 

BETTY 
[In  awe.'} 

You — see — this ! 

LINCOLN 

[In  dreamy  tones.'] 
As  plainly  as  I  see  the  sunlight  dancing  on  the  leaves 

outside  that  window  now 

[STANTON  enters  and  LINCOLN!  turns  to  meet  him 
eagerly.} 

[145] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

STANTON 
You've  no  news  ? 

LINCOLN 
I  sent  for  you,  to  ask  that 

STANTON 
Nothing 

LINCOLN 
[In  low  tones."] 
What  does  it  mean? 

STANTON 

A  storm  swept  Atlanta  yesterday — the  wires  may  be  all 
down •> 

LINCOLN 
You  think  that's  it——? 

STANTON 
No— I  don't. 

LINCOLN 

Neither  do  I 

STANTON 

Something  big  has  happened !  Sherman  has  either'  taken 
Atlanta  or  Hood  has  cut  his  communications  and 
his  army  may  be  imperiled. 

LINCOLN 

[His  head  droops.] 
That's  what  I  think  too — God  help  us ! 

[The  sharp  click  of  the  telegrapft  instrument 
causes  him  to  start  quickly,  cross  to  the  table  and 
listen.  The  committee  headed  by  RAYMOND  and 
STEVENS  crozvd  through  the  door  against  the  pro- 
tests of  NicoCftY.] 

[146] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

NlCOLAY 

I  promised  you  an  answer  in  half  an  hour,  gentleman! 
— you  must  wait. 

RAYMOND 
Not  another  minute! 

STEVENS 

\Waving  a  telegram.'] 
The  matter  is  too  urgent! 

LINCOLN 
All  right — John — let  'em  in — I'm  ready. 

RAYMOND 

We  have  just  heard  a  most  painful  and  startling  piece 
of  news  from  the  War  Department 

LINCOLN 

[To  STANTON.] 
War  Department 

[Low  voice.'} 
— What  is  it,  Stanton? 

STANTON 
Something  I  didn't  believe  and  wouldn't  repeat  to  you. 

LINCOLN 

[Whispering  to  OPERATOR.] 
Pull  for  me,  boy,  pull  for  me — keep  picking  at  that  thing ! 

STEVENS 
[  Triumphantly.'] 

You  were  advised  to  withhold  the  new  draft  of  men 
until  after  the  election !    Well,  read  that  copy  of  a 
[147] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

telegram  from  New  York,  just  received  by  General 
Halleck,  sir! 

[Offers  telegram  to  LINCOLN  and  he  refuses  to  take 
fc] 

LINCOLN 

I  don't  want  to  read  it,  Stevens.  Your  face  is  enough 
for  me.  It  must  be  bad,  or  you  wouldn't  be  so 
happy.  You're  almost  smiling! 

STEVENS 
Read  it! 

LINCOLN 

[Ignoring  the  proffered  telegram.'] 
You  know,  Stevens,  you  remind  of  an  old  farmer  I  knew 

in  Illinois 

[The  committee  gather  around  LINCOLN  eager  for 
the  story,  glancing  at  STEVENS. 

STEVENS 
Go  on,  give  'em  the  joke.    It's  your  funeral — not  mine ! 

LINCOLN 

[Facing  the  committee.'] 

This  old  farmer  raised  the  biggest  hog  ever  seen  in  the 
county.  He  was  so  fat  the  news  of  his  size  spread 
over  the  country  and  people  came  from  far  and  near 
to  see  this  wonder  in  pork.  A  stranger  came  up 
one  day  and  asked  the  farmer  to  see  him.  The  old 
man  said:  "Wai  I've  got  sech  a  animal  an'  he's  the 
biggest  one  I  ever  seed.  I'll  say  that.  But  so  many 
folks  are  comin'  here  pesterin'  me  to  look  at  him, 
I've  decided  to  charge  a  shillin'  a  look."  The 
[148] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

stranger  put  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  pulled  out  the 
money,  paid  the  shilling,  stared  at  the  old  man, 
turned  and  walked  away.  The  farmer  called  after 
him — "Hi — there — ain't  yer  goin'  ter  see  the  hog?" 
"No" — the  fellow  answered — "I've  seen  you!  I've 
got  my  money's  worth." 

[All  laugh  except  STEVENS.    During  the  laugh  LIN- 
COLN bends  over  tfbe  telegraph  instrument — in  low 
tones.] 
How  goes  it,  boy  ?    How  goes  it  ? 

[The  OPERATOR  shakes  his  head.] 

Not  a  click ? 

[OPERATOR  shakes  his  head  again — and  LINCOLN'S 
face  contracts  in  suffering.'] 

STEVENS 

Just  a  minute.,  Mr.  President, — I'll  give  you  the  telegram 
if  you  won't  read  it. 

LINCOLN 
Fire  away,  Stevens,  if  it  makes  you  happy. 

STEVENS 
[Reading.'] 

"New  York,  Sept.  3,  1864. 

"The  Federal  authorities  have  just  discovered  a  nation- 
wide conspiracy  to  resist  by  force  of  arms  the  new 
draft.  It  will  be  necessary  for  General  Grant  to 
detach  half  his  army  from  Lee's  front  immediately 
to  put  down  this  counter  revolution.  Send  these 
soldiers  without  delay  to  our  great  cities." 
The  signature  is  in  code. 

[149] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

RAYMOND 
It's  the  blackest  news  yet,  sir — and  it's  true. 

STEVENS 

.You  must  realize  that  we  cannot  delay  a  moment  in  plac- 
ing another  man  at  the  head  of  the  ticket. 
[There  is  a  moment  of  dead  silence  while  all  watch 
LINCOLN'S  face.    Suddenly  the  sharp  click  of  the 
telegraph   instrument   begins   to   spell   the  word 
A-T-lanta.     LINCOLN     starts — his   face    flashing 
with  excitement.'] 

LINCOLN 
What's  that? 

[He  follows  breathlessly  the  spelling  of  the  full 
word — his  face  expressing  his  joy.] 

OPERATOR 
Mr.  President — It's  come!     It's  here! 

[LINCOLN  rushes  to  the  table,  the  crowd  follow- 
ing.] 
It's  for  you,  sir ! 

LINCOLN 
Out  with  it,  boy,  word  for  word  as  you  get  it ! 

OPERATOR 
[Click-click.] 
Atlanta — 

[Click-click.] 
Georgia — 

[Click-click- click.'] 
September  3,  1864. 

[150] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

LINCOLN 
Glory  to  God! 

OPERATOR 
[Click-click.] 
— Atlanta 

[Click-click.] 
— is  ours — 

[  Click-click-click.'] 
and  fairly  won — W.  T.  Sherman 

LINCOLN 
O  my  soul,  lift  up  thy  head ! 

[To  BETTY.] 
Go  tell  Mother,  quick,  tell  her  to  come  here ! 

[BETTY  exits  running.] 

NICOLAY 
Three  cheers  for  General  William  Tecumseh  Sherman! 

ALL  SHOUT 
Sherman !    Sherman !     Sherman ! 

[When  the  shout  dies  away  LINCOLN  lifts  his  head 
solemnly  and  cries.] 

LINCOLN 

Unto  thee,  O  God,  we  give  all  the  praise  now  and  for- 
ever more ! 
[MRS.  LINCOLN  enters  with  BETTY  and  rushes  to 

meet  the  President.    He  takes  her  in  his  arms  ] 
Mother !    It's  all  right !— Uncle  Billy's  there ! 

MRS.  LINCOLN 
You'll  never  doubt  again? 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOELE 

LINCOLN 


Never ! 

[Turning  to  the  committee.] 
My  friends !    A  poem  is  singing  in  my  heart ! 

"Mine  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of  the 

Lord! 
He  is  tramp&ig  out  the  vintage  where  the  grapes  of 

wrath  are  stored : 
He  has  loosed  the  fateful  lightning  of  His  tefrible  swift 

sword — 
His  truth  is  marching  on ! 

"He  has  sounded  forth  the  trumpet  that  shall  never  call 

retreat ! 
He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  before  His  judgment 

seat: 
Oh!  Be  swift  my  soul  to  answer  Him!    Be  jubilant  my 

feet! 
Our  God  is  marching  on !" 

STANTON 

That  draft  will  be  all  right,  Stevens !    Now  all  together ! 
[ STANTON  leads  and  all  sing.] 
[LINCOLN  listens  with  bowed  head.] 

We  are  coming,  Father  Abraham,  three  hundred  thou- 
sand more, 

From  Mississippi's  winding  stream  and  from  New  Eng- 
land's shore; 

We   leave   our   plows   and   workshop,   our   wives   and 
children  dear, 

[152] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

With  hearts  too  full  for  utterance,  with  but  a  single  tear, 
We  dare  not  look  behind  us  but  steadfastly  before, 
We  are  coming,  Father  Abraham,  three  hundred  thou- 
sand more! 

CHORUS 

We  are  coming,  we  are  commg,  our  Union  to  restore ! 

We  are  coming,  Father  Abraham,  three  hundred  thou- 
sand more, 

We  are  coming,  Father  Abraham,  three  hundred  thou- 
sand more! 

LINCOLN 

And  remember,  gentlemen,  U.  S.  Grant  sent  Sherman  on 
that  mission.  You  know  I  didn't  remove  him !  Well, 
Raymond,  what  say  you,  now! 

RAYMOND 

It's  glorious.  It's  a  miracle!  Lee's  army  can't  survive. 
The  end  is  sure!  McClellan  is  beaten — the  Union 
is  saved! 

LINCOLN 
What  say  you  all  ? 

A  COMMITTEEMAN 

Your  triumph  is  sure ! 

ANOTHER  COMMITTEEMAN 
You'll  sweep  the  nation,  sir ! 

NICOLAY 

Three  cheers  for  the  old  President  and  three  cheers  for 
the  new! 

[1531 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

ALL 
Lincoln !    Lincoln !    Lincoln ! 

[All  join  except  STEVENS,  whose  face  remains  a 
mask.'] 

LINCOLN 

Come  on,  Stevens,  smile!    Take  a  chance.     It  may  kill 
you,  but  my  Lord,  man,  take  a  chance! 

STEVENS 

You're  not  elected  yet,  sir — and  such  levity  ill  becomes  a 
Nation's  Chief  in  these  tragic  hours 

LINCOLN 
[Laughs."] 
If  I  couldn't  laugh  I'd  have  died  long  ago  at  this  job ! 


CURTAIN 


EPILOGUE 

SET  SCENE  :  The  great  pillars  of  the  Capitol  at  Washing- 
ton fill  the  entire  stage  from  arch  to  arch.  In  the 
•foreground  stands  the  platform  on  which  the  Jus- 
tices of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States, 
headed  by  Salmon  P.  Chase,  Chief  Justice,  are 
grouped  about  the  President,  who  is  delivering  his 
Second  Inaugural.  JOHN  VAUGHAN  beside  BETTY 
WINTER  is  conspicuously  leading  the  applause. 

AT  RISE:  The  President  is  reading  his  Inaugural.  A 
great  burst  of  cheering  follows  the  sentence  he  is 
closing  before  the  curtain  rises: 

LINCOLN 
[Before  rise.~\ 

Shall  we  discern  therein  any  departure  from  those  divine 
attributes  which  the  believers  in  a  living  God  always 
ascribe  to  Him? 
[Applause  as  curtain  rises.] 

Fondly  do  we  hope — fervently  do  we  pray — that  this 
mighty  scourge  of  war  may  speedily  pass  away. 
Yet,  if  God  wills  that  it  continue  until  all  the  wealth 
piled  by  the  bondman's  two  hundred  and  fifty  years 
of  unrequited  toil  shall  be  sunk,  and  until  every 
drop  of  blood  drawn  with  the  lash  shall  be  paid  by 
another  drawn  with  the  sword,  as  was  said  three 
thousand  years  ago,  so  still  it  must  be  said,  "The 
[155] 


A  MAN  OF  THE  PEOPLE 

judgments  of  the  Lord  are  true  and  righteous  alto- 
gether." 
[Applause.] 

With  malice  toward  none ;  with  charity  for  all ;  with  firm- 
ness in  the  right,  as  God  gives  us  to  see  the  right,  let 
us  strive  on  to  finish  the  work  we  are  in;  to  bind 
up  'the  nation's  wounds ;  to  care  for  him  who  shall 
have  borne  the  battle,  and  for  his  widow,  and  his 
orphan — to  do  all  which  may  achieve  and  cherish  a 
just  and  lasting  peace  among  ourselves  and  all  na- 
tions. 

[Fade  out  with  the  light  on  Lincoln's  face  as  he  ut- 
ters the  last  word.] 


CURTAIN 

(i) 


